Community Tasting Notes 2

• ajbergren wrote: 88 points

  September 6, 2019 - Very dark red with high optical density and high specular reflectivity. Very intense aromas, with savoury oak spices on top of fruit. Plums, cassis, and dark berries, with perhaps dark cherry pit. Coconut and dusty roasted nuts dominate the spices. On the palate, full bodies with a rich, dense texture and firm tannic structure. Very plush on the front, but drying on the back end (but in a good way, not astringent). Fresh acidity gives a lively bounce to things also; good sense of some tension in the texturing. Flavours of dark berries and oak spices (dill, coconut, American Oak here) on the attack. The sense on entry is this is a rich and powerful wine, with oak for sure, but not really too much (a lot, sure, but still somehow balanced). The midpalate displays lighter fruits (cranberries and sour cherry and raspberry), which is a nice transition away from darker fruits, and a lovely interesting way to stay strong. The final transition brings on the tannins, which allows some dried leather and fine cured dark tobacco to come through the fruit. Length is medium. Intensity throughout is pretty strong, with perhaps medium plus complexity. A bit of depth for sure, but maybe relying just a touch too much on oak for some "extras." But still certainly has a lot of interesting things happen to provide some thought.
  
  This is a modern wine with a traditional flair of freshness. Vivid and dancing in flashiness, and yet very structured and powerful. Very much Rioja in styling (American Oak flavours with tart red fruits and black fruits), and a modern, clean, and streamlined. Definitely a nice wine.

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• Paul852 Likes this wine: 88 points

  November 9, 2018 - Decanted for 90 minutes then drank with pasta and a slightly spicy tomato-based sauce.
  
  I have all 3 of the Bodegas Pedro Martínez Alesanco standard range; I previously tasted the Crianza and this is my first bottle of the Reserva. The Gran Reserva is to come.
  
  This wine has clearly benefited from some age - it's rather smoother than the crianza (which is a little heavier on the acidity), and has some really nice dark fruits. Tannin, but not a great deal, gives a shortish finish.
  
  It's going down very nicely, and at only US$1 more than the crianza I think it's worth the difference!

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Wine Definition

• Vintage 2012
• Type Red
• Producer Bodegas Pedro Martínez Alesanco
• Varietal Tempranillo Blend
• Designation Reserva
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Spain
• Region La Rioja
• SubRegion La Rioja Alta
• Appellation Rioja

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 7 (15%)
• Consumed 39 (85%)

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