Community Tasting Notes 8

• forceberry wrote: 94 points

  February 1, 2023 - Buena Pinta originally started out as a Moravia Agria-Garnacha blend, with almost equal proportions (60/40), but if I have understood correctly, the 2015 vintage is very Moravia Agria-dominant, having only a 10-15% addition of Garnacha. The grapes are biodynamically farmed and the grapes undergo a partial carbonic maceration and fermentation with natural yeasts as whole bunches (with stems and all that jazz), after which the wine is left to age in old, neutral French oak barrels of 600 liters. After 7 months of aging the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and released shortly thereafter. The annual production is some 7,000 bottles. 12,5% alcohol.
  
  Luminous, quite translucent cherry-red color that doesn't really look young nor old. The nose feels fragrant and full of character with layered aromas of wild strawberries and ripe cranberries, some funky notes of leather and phenolic spice, light dried flower tones, a little bit of tobacco, hints of dusty earth and sandy soil and a herby, somewhat sweet touch of pot. The wine feels harmonious, quite resolved and silky on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of wild strawberries and ripe raspberries, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of red licorice, light funky notes of leather and phenolic spice, a hint of marmaladey red fruit and a touch of peppery spice. The wine still retains nice sense of firmness with its high acidity and quite sparse yet still chalky and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, complex and moderately grippy yet still wonderfully silky with a long, harmonious aftertaste of wizened dark forest fruits and wild strawberries, some bretty notes of leathery funk with subtly animale undertones, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral nuances, a savory hint of developed umami character and a touch of wizened red fruits.
  
  A wonderful, characterful and still enjoyably structured Manchuela red that highlights the firmness and freshness of Moravia Agria - a rare local variety that has been historically used as a blending component to liven up heavier reds. Following this wine for more than six years has revealed that this wine was not only a terrific wine upon its release, but it also had great potential for aging! I wouldn't say this wine has noticeably improved from the already wonderful spot it was in soon after release, but the wine hasn't decreased in quality in any way, either; it has just evolved laterally, into something different and equally interesting with age. It still retains great sense of firmness, freshness and structure but has lost some of the funk in lieu of the more evolved and somewhat more savory nuances. And fortunately this wine wasn't as reductive as the bottle we opened a few years ago! All in all, this is an excellent wine and a real bargain at just 12€.

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• ceasol Likes this wine: 87 points

  August 9, 2020 - Light purple colour
  Nose of vanilla, cedar, spices,
  Plum, blueberry, pepper, salt, leather, Medium alcohol, medium tannins, medium acidity.

  Comment

• forceberry wrote: 93 points

  August 18, 2018 - Pretty much consistent with my previous tasting notes from two years ago.
  
  The color has lost its youthful purple hue and instead has taken on a very slightly developed, maroon hue. Unlike the last time, the nose was rather reductive upon opening, showing somewhat muted aromas dominated by smoky tones of burnt hair. However, as the wine opens, somewhat animal aromas emerge, followed by tones of ripe plums, leather, some perfumed floral tones of violets, a little bit of sweet red fruits and hints of earthy, peppery spice and garrigue. The wine is medium-bodied, smooth and somewhat funky on the palate with vibrant flavors of peppery spice, stony minerality, some ripe red cherries and tart cranberries, a little bit of barnyard funk and bretty leather, a lifted hint of VA and a touch of phenolic smoky character. The wine is remarkably light for a Castilla-La Mancha wine with high acidity and light yet gently grippy tannins. Long, crunchy and enjoyably funky finish with ripe yet quite savory flavors of sweet strawberries, some bretty leather and barnyard funk, a little bit of juicy plummy fruit, sweeter hints of raspberry jam and a touch of peppery spice. The tannins lend a gentle tug to the gums towards the end of the aftertaste.
  
  A very lovely, crunchy and delicious little wine that is very much unlike any Castilla-La Mancha wine - if they are this light and low in alcohol, they are just thin wines made from underripe grapes. However, this is obviously very ripe and fruit-forward, yet also remarkably bright, crunchy and playful at the same time. Perhaps too funky and "natural" for the fans of more conventional style, this is exactly within my ideal of wine. The somewhat reductive nature seemed to persists for quite a while here, which made the wine perform a bit less good than the last time, but this is a wonderful wine all the same. Based on the reductive nature, I can imagine this wine will keep nicely in a cellar. Stunning value at only 12€.

  Comment

• zhearr wrote:

  April 24, 2018 - Stylish, authentic and a duality between fruit/florals and this old world funk. Light to medium weight. 87-89

  Comment

• karl.1480 wrote: 91 points

  April 8, 2017 - I think Forceberry really nailed it in his tasting note. A lovely wine and lot's in common with bolder style Cru Beaujolais. Great QPR at €12!

  Comment

Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2015
• Type Red
• Producer Bodegas Ponce
• Varietal Moravia Agria
• Designation Buena Pinta
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Spain
• Region Castilla-La Mancha
• SubRegion n/a
• Appellation Manchuela

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 18 (23%)
• Consumed 61 (77%)

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