April 6, 2024 - Birthday party (Chicago, IL): Lots and lots of American oak, of course. Lots of fruit and plenty of leathery notes as well. Not particularly funky or barnyardy, but a clean, intense expression of Rioja here. Great stuff, and almost certainly more accessible than the 890 (which I have yet to try).
April 1, 2024 - Excellent. Drinking great now, and should improve or at least hold for 10+ more years.
March 23, 2024 - Tempranillo (90%) from vines over 60 years old, complemented by Graciano (10%), destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks controlled temperature for 18 days. Aged 4 years in 4-year-old American oak barrels. Total acidity 5.9 g/l, alcohol 13.5% vol.
Decanted 2h before dinner, but it still improved with more time. Superb intense nose, dark fruited, tar and ethereal, on the palate good freshness, dry and full bodied, good length with still some edges but not disruptive.
Classic Reserva from a superb vintage, developed nicely within the last 30 months but requires still more cellaring time to peak. Drink now with a long decant or within the next 2 decades, 92-93+.
March 17, 2024 - Ready to drink after a quick 30 minute decant, but it was still evolving after 5 hours. Beautiful floral bouquet with refined oak and dried cherries. Will continue to improve as it sits in the glass.
March 16, 2024 - 3h dekantiert. Leicht erdige und ledrige nase aber auch dichter aromenmix aus dunkler und roter frucht.... klassischer rioja im mund - schöne frucht mit fein integrierter säure und etwas holz im abgang. Sehr seidiger trinkfluss. 92+
March 16, 2024 - Spürbare Mufftöne, aber nicht der klassische Korker, leider nicht das erste Mal bei diesem Weingut
February 18, 2024 - In the bouquet dark berries, licorice and well dosed oak. On the palate elegant and juicy with dark berries and good acidity and tannin. Beautiful wine in its early drinking stage. 92 – 93+ for now.
February 2, 2024 - Nase: kräftiges Bouquet, würzig
Gaumen: mittlerer Körper, gut eingebundene Gerbstoffe, angenehme Säure, leicht herber Abgang
Fazit: ich bin mir nicht sicher ob er nicht optimal gelagert (was sein könnte) oder er einfach noch nicht so weit war - ich hätte ihn mir gerne besser vorgestellt. Der Genuss war in Ordnung, er hat trotz Kraft auch Eleganz und man merkt ihm einen Qualitätsanspruch an. Ich bin gespannt auf den 2015er. Den habe ich definitiv besser gelagert. Aber bei dem muss ich noch 1-2 Jahre warten.
January 14, 2024 - I don’t have much luck with rioja ….obviously doesn’t fit my pallet ….hour of air in glass…deep cherry core. Layered cherries , slight essence of cinnamon , tannins fading but still there …more one dimensional than layered .
December 31, 2023 - The last of my 1/2 case-sad to see it go, but it has shown it’s greatness over the years.