Community Tasting Notes 12

• ChesterP Likes this wine: 90 points

  November 19, 2020 - I was cleaning my off site wine cellar a couple months back and found a case of this vintage. Brought 2 bottles home to open to determine next action. Tonight, opened 1 bottle.
  
  I was not expecting much. Bottle end fairly corroded. Cork came out in 2 pieces. Smelled the open bottle and was not excited by residual odor. What the heck, needed to follow through with a taste.
  
  Poured a tasting. Wine clear with an orange tinge at top of wine. Nice nose in the glass. First sip downed very easily not sure if I was trying to convince myself the wine was good to avoid dumping the case. Second.. third sip...realized that this wine has survived quite nicely over the years (44 years).
  
  In my 70's. I'm not sure how many years I still have to enjoy my collection but definitely will enjoy the balance of this case over the next year.

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• Loekkeboe Likes this wine: 92 points

  October 16, 2016 - Great wine. Didnt spot it as Rioja. Had a Pinot Noir like stature.
  
  Appears quite fresh for a 40 year old wine.

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• Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 90 points

  October 16, 2015 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2015/10/faustino-i-1976-gran-reserva.html
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  De color rubí marronoso de capa media, abierto, muy claro. Reflejos ambarinos y rojizos con un finisimo precipitado en la base de la botella. Borde amplio, atejado, con poca diferencia respecto al menisco.
  
  Aromas de fuerte intensidad. Abundan aromas de fruta pasa, orejones, confitura de naranja, azúcar caramelizado, bollería, cremosos, especias dulces (vainilla, nuez moscada) y una suave trama de maderas añejas, apenas tostadas, en segundo plano que no acaba de imponerse. Muy maduro, con matices de frutos en licor, fúngicos, sotobosque... Va evolucionando a lo largo de la cata sacando notas de cuero curtido, caza, barnices y una mayor sensación de especias ahumadas. Lleno de detalles, complejo, clásico y del todo reposado.
  
  En boca confunde inicialmente por su asimetría con todo lo anterior. Seco, ligero, con una viva acidez que parece ir a más al tomar aire y que arrastra amargosos y fruta roja picante. Viene bien armado de maderas y muestra unos taninos bruñidos. Se bebe con fran facilidad aunque es complicado de definir. Un Faustino que en poco o nada se parece a las añadas anteriores, todas ellas cortadas por el mismo patrón. Junto al Gran Reserva de 1978 parece configurar algo parecido a un cierto cambio de "estilo" de la bodega, por decirlo de alguna forma.
  
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  70% tempranillo, 15% graciano, 15% mazuelo.
  - Permanece durante 16 meses en depósitos de cemento y en tintos viejos de madera de gran capacidad en los que acaba de completar la fermentación maloláctica y estabilizarse. Madura entre 24 y 30 meses en barricas usadas de 225 litros (90% de roble americano, 10% francés y yugoslavo) con una edad media de 15 a 16 años. Embotellado en envase especial de vidrio esmerilado. Un mínimo de 36 meses de guarda en botellero en los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado.
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• henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

  August 15, 2015 - Very brown rim still some red
  Lots of tobacco on the nose clean
  Nice wine, some delicate red fruit that starts to fade after a bit
  Definitely drying out a bit, some orange on the finish
  Past it but not disgracing itself

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• Davyd Chong Likes this wine: 94 points

  July 14, 2014 - Derek's 31st Birthday Celebration (Extra Space): My first time drinking a Rioja from the 1970s, thanks to Derek. The bottle looked pretty, but what about the taste of the wine? My wife and I were blown away by the nose; it was like a sweet, spicy perfume! Very unique nose, reminiscent of whiskey (but sweeter and less alcoholic), melted caramel, nutty, like smelling freshly baked baklava. I also felt it had the nose of a fortified wine, like Vin Santo. However, on the palate, it was somehow lacking in structure. The tannins, though soft, were slippery (and somewhat flabby) and fell through on the mid palate. It also lacked intensity, but nonetheless, was very easy drinking, with hints of sweet berries, low alcohol, and ending off with a medium finish.

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Wine Definition

• Vintage 1976
• Type Red
• Producer Faustino
• Varietal Tempranillo Blend
• Designation I Gran Reserva
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Spain
• Region La Rioja
• SubRegion n/a
• Appellation Rioja

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 10 (45%)
• Consumed 12 (55%)

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