February 16, 2024 - Opened this at home to celebrate the 7th day of the Lunar New Year with my in-laws and their extended relatives. We ordered food from Tung Lok.
Dark purple in colour. Wine was decanted for an hour before consuming. Velvety texture with fresh plums, blackberries, black coffee, tar, dark chocolates, leather and dried herbs.
April 6, 2023 - Sight: Clear, deep garnet with a brick rim
Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity aromas of dried red fruit, leather, tobacco, vanilla, and dried herbs
Palate: Dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ fine-grained tannins, full body, and medium+ flavor intensity of dried red fruit, leather, tobacco, vanilla, and dried herbs. A long finish.
Conclusion: The 2008 Faustino Rioja I Gran Reserva is a complex and powerful wine with a long ageing potential.
October 21, 2022 - Drinking wine with friends.
After drinking a great Chianti, this wine seemed a little bland at first. However, after just a few sips, you could really like it. Mild in taste, beautifully arranged. Tannins and acidity in full harmony with the flavors. A lot of creamy vanilla in taste. Also smooth red cherry, plum and tobacco. Silky texture. $11 at Kaufland supermarket!
June 5, 2022 - Not over the notch as promoted but a good Rioja wine for the price.
January 23, 2022 - medium garnet colour; light rim. elegant very good. nose: still fruity - plums, red and black cherries, blueberries; some fruit from the pan - strawberries; leather, tobacco; cinnamon, cardamon spice; very good intensity. taste: high acidity; medium volume tannins - superbly integrated; some black cherries and plums still present; some baked fruits; leather, cinnamon, graphite; long spicy finish; quite light but full flavour. excellent balance between some primary still existing flavours and secondary and tertiary.
October 25, 2021 - Brownish-red in color. Opening with a taste of cherry and blackcurrant. Rather bland in the end. Did not improve the next day.
October 25, 2021 - In the glass deep red with a slightly brownish trim
Nose: blackcurrant
Taste: quite an austere wine, first taste slightly fruity that fades quickly
October 20, 2021 - disappointed this time round. showed potential from PnP with toasted oaky notes and cherry and raspberry fruit notes.
Left to slow ox a few hours didnt really do anything and found the fruit to be a bit washy and a little astringent.
A mediocre mass produced GR at best.
October 6, 2021 - Grew during the evening and matched my steak very good. Good QPR as always. 89ish.
September 14, 2021 - Was expecting a lot more from this bottle.