April 24, 2024 - One of my favorite producers! Ruby red with some bricking. Nose of red cherry, vanilla, cloves and tobacco. On the palate red cherry, vanilla, cloves, chocolate, leather and cigar box. Velvety tannins with surprising acidity and a medium to long finish. Very elegant and obviously could take a long while more of cellar age. Excellent!
April 17, 2024 - Erik's. Coconut and dill from the American oak came out first followed by plum, dried spices and earth. Medium bodied, good balance and a long finsih, but good as it is it will get better. Leave these alone if you can!
February 17, 2024 - Three hour decant. Light garnet. Plum, red berries, dried spices and dusty earth notes. Medium bodied, smooth with great balance. Chalky tannins. Long finish. Paired well with cube steak and vegetables.
February 7, 2024 - Brought this wine to Tunglok Signatures (Clarke Quay) for dinner with my family to welcome my sister-in-law and to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We had Deep Fried Fish Skin with Salted Egg, Crispy Roast Pork Belly, Double Boiled Fish Maw Soup with Sakura Chicken, Roast Irish Duck, Garoupa prepared in two ways (Steamed and Deep Fried), Boiled Chinese Cabbage with Minced Pork and Dried Shrimp, Sautéed Beef Cubes with Wild Fungus, Roast Suckling Pig with Glutinous Rice and Fried Chinese New Year Sweet Rice Cake.
Decanted for 1.5 hours before serving. An outstanding wine. Impeccable balance with mastery interplay between fruit, acidity, and oak. Seamless integration with a long, complex finish. Blend of Tempranillo and Graciano.
On the nose the bouquet of red berries, dried cherries, and subtle hints of vanilla danced around effortlessly, unfolding a symphony of flavors.
On the palate, the red fruits, dried figs, dry leather all contributed to the pairing of the wine and the food. Velvety tannins ensuring the freshness of the wine, bringing out notes of tobacco, cedar and liquorice.
January 31, 2024 - Outstanding Rioja. Full bodied, long lingering taste. Only 3 bottles left - have to wait several years to see how it develops, since so many people think this will drink well into the early 30's. I think it has been excellent for several years now, but I will move my soonest date to 2026, to make sure I save.
January 5, 2024 - Cork broke in two and was highly oxidized
December 24, 2023 - Tres beau vin. Nez sur le fruit, un peu étable. En bouche, tout en rondeur, belle concentration, ample. De bonne longueur.
December 21, 2023 - I didn't decant - I should have - likely an hour. The taste and balance improved after about an hour in the glass
November 3, 2023 - Decanted 3 hours…tart cherry , mushroom, tar, always changing . Light profile….a bit out of balance …even after a lot of air .
October 27, 2023 - needs a long decant but lovely tempranillo