July 15, 2022 - An excellent wine, but in a strange sense at the end of its cycle; opens up with a great classic nose, great color, great balance, Bordeaux like style … then it devolves into something else.
March 4, 2022 - drank 45 minutes after decanting. Definitely woodsy, a little smoked meats, potpourri, plum, reasonably fragrant. Plenty of acidity.
July 7, 2021 - Not enough time to open up. Pnp and was consumed in an hour. Still excellent.
July 2, 2021 - pretty ripe on the nose with stewed prunes. Acidity was on the high side but tannins were still present on the palate. Nose was very fragrant with lovely spices and woodsy notes. Still very tannic even after decanting for 1½ hours.
February 1, 2020 - still concentrated, with notes of grilled meats and good, ripe fruit. Slightly ripe and sweet on the palate.
October 4, 2019 - Tasted blind. I thought it to be a Syrah dominated GSM from Central California (or even a Napa Syrah) due to its aromatic opulence and intensity. The very soft, feminine structure would have been the hint for the high Grenache content. This was one of the best reds of the night and is at a very good point but with plenty of life left. 94 points not reaching the elusive 95+ points category as the nose couldn't keep up with the palate.
TN: Soft, round herbal driven nose with slight hints of petrol. Much more layered and interesting on the very well-defined palate full of fresh herbs, some roasted herbs, lots of mint, eucalyptus, spices and cola all circling around very sweet dark and red fruit core. Despite the boldness of the aromas, the wine is soft, round and elegant with melted tannins and a good freshness. Very good balance.
Decanting: Not decanted, no extensive decant needed.
September 12, 2019 - Tasted blind. Red berries of strawberry and raspberry, barnyard and leather. Came across slightly flat initially but improved (a lot) over time adding more pronounced leathery aromas, a bit of spices and a few herbs and pepper. Fresh and balanced palate, elegantly structured and leaves the impression of a lot more aging potential. Once more testament to the aging potential and quality of Spanish juice.
August 24, 2018 - Dusty, earthy, mineral, with a touch of funk on the nose. Huge palate presence, with lively and dense dark fruits, piercing acidity, and plenty of soft tannin. Full of character and charm, and drinking wonderfully now. Powerful, elegant, and a delight to drink. Still a favorite.
May 25, 2018 - This is actually quite nice, cool blue and black fruit, brooding, but fairly pretty. Comparable to the '97, which I liked the most out of the tasting: This nose has a whiff of Brett which quickly blows off and shows a ripe and lush blackberry with rich soil influence. Very ripe and a little hot. Palate is very ripe but has a fun brambly texture. This smells like a middle aged very rustic St. Estephe Bordeaux, although on the palate it is much softer upfront and finishes with an out of balance wallop of alcohol.
March 30, 2018 - Very nice in a claret sort of way. 2 hour air time. I had this wine a few times in the past 5-10 years and it is in a better place today than previously. Really nice.