September 3, 2023 - Savoury decent but far from class of La Rioja Alta.
July 4, 2023 - Beaucoup de vieux bois, fruit mure a point mais un peu mince. Un Rioja avec de l'age assez typique. Pas très long ni complexe mais un vin agréable.
June 20, 2023 - Well this was our surprise of the night. Served at a restaurant with one hour decant, and it shined. Our bottle was at perfect maturity. Based on our bottle, I rate this much higher than Suckling did and some other CT consumers. Our bottle was great, plain and simple, and a terrific value. Recommended.
March 15, 2023 - By the glass at Brackenbury Wine Rooms again. First glass from the end of one bottle, second from the start of another, really highlights that this needs time to open up.
March 7, 2023 - By the glass at Brackenbury Wine Rooms. Served cool, not decanted. Quite polished, subtle. Good balance. Would have benefited from decanting/more time to open up. As it was I don't think it showed itself or its potential, not differentiated enough to drive the praise or criticism it's receiving here.
November 1, 2022 - Deep garnet.
Pronounced on the nose with red cherry, black cherry, raspberry, coconut, vanilla, smoke, chocolate, dried cranberry, fig, prune, tobacco, leather, meat and savoury notes. Fully developed.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. High acidity, high party resolved tannins, high alcohol, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for aging.
September 13, 2022 - About 30 mins of air. Medium garnet with some orange and clearing at the rim, less than I was expecting. Very tertiary nose of dried leaves and earth, dill, cedar, dried cherry. On the palate, medium + acid and a medium body, mostly resolved fine tannin. The midpalate and finish are a bit thin and lacking in fruit intensity, and I do get a bit of a tart finish with notes of crisp red apple. Overall a very earthy and interesting wine, but nothing special here. Drink within the next 3-5 years.
June 3, 2022 - A mild disappointment after the splendid bottle in spring 2021. More on the American oak spectrum than soft tobacco, yet with its fruit also less vivacious. Decent wine, still good value.
April 10, 2022 - Worked really well with roasted lamb. Gave it 1 hour in the decanter and the wine came nicely around during the meal. Drinking well now
March 26, 2022 - Deep red colour with mahogany notes and a slight hint of chocolate; a rich, lovely colour.
Plump black fruits on the nose with a distinct wild strawberry aroma. Some leather and graphite, maybe a little smoke, but it's primarily fruit on the nose; a touch of eucalyptus at the back.
Big red and black berry fruits - sweet-edged but with a savoury spine. rich but eminently drinkable and distinctively rioja. Sweet fruits on the finish.