March 22, 2018 - Medium dark red. Intense developed nose, smoked meat, pepper, plum, black cherry and scorched earth. Delicious beef broth and dark fruit flavours and a very structured meaty finish.
I thought it was a Hermitage from a ripe vintage or a Cayuse Syrah.
November 14, 2010 - Austrian and Spanish Wines on the Fino patio (Fino Restaurant, Austin, Texas): Lively and young on the mouth, compared to the nose, it was well-liked by all. Some dark chocolate and cedar on the nose, it had black and red fruits, herbs, tomato leaf, tar, black plum, and baking spices. Very smooth and seemed at its peak now, with excellent balance and a fine match for our pork sandwiches.
January 2, 2010 - Popped and poured. Lovely tea aroma with a hint of raspberry. Palate is complex, but floral? Black currant and cedar. I don't think it has further room to improve. Drinking beautifully.
February 11, 2009 - Very similar to the 7/5/08 bottle except not quite as lush but more complex in the mouth. Also had a lovely aroma of black forest cake in addition to the black fruits, licorice and graphite.
February 7, 2009 - M21: Mature and Delicious (ExtraSpace @ Boon Keng): Dark soy sauce on wet earth, gula melaka, sweet plums and coconut candy. Salty sweet cherries on a thick dense mouthfeel but not viscous. Finishes with some cigarette ash. It is quite elegant with classical sweetness.
February 7, 2009 - "M21" - Mature and Delicious Wines (Extra Space, Singapore): This was drinking very nicely - not quite as OTT as some of Peter Sisseck's wines I have tried. Maybe the 10 years of age have toned the wine down somewhat - it was all the better for it too. Nose showed clear tempranillo characteristics of soy, earth, sweet plums, some dried wood, menthol, smoke and cigarettes. Quite a bit of umami and gula Melaka (brown palm sugar) swirling around there as well. Palate was very well integrated, but there was still a good amount of acid buried underneath the dense mouthfeel, which showed some alcohol and plush, rich flavours of maraschino cherries. Not the most complex of wines, but interesting enough in a modern Ribera del Duero way. Pretty decent grip in the finish, which had a note of rubber and minerals.
July 5, 2008 - At peak. Lush, ripe fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Aromas of black fruits, licorice and graphite. This wine has great silky mouthfeel with fine balance and ripe fully integrated tannins. A great value.
February 18, 2008 - Very fruity w/a harsh after bite. It also had a very strong fruity sniff. I wasn't nearly as pleased as i was with the 2004 bottle. I will not purchas the 1997 again.
June 26, 2005 - Generously scented with red fruit, wet earth, licorice and spice. Firm on the palate with medium-full body and flavors of smoky black cherry, blackberry, mineral and a touch of pencil. Closes with a balanced finish of fruit and fine, sweet tannins. A very nicely structured Spanish red.
June 3, 2003 - ($20) Spanish Tasting Moved from Rouge to Campisi's: Brown sugar and cinnamon with candied cherries. Not bad.