September 13, 2023 - Still alive, not much fruit but plenty of secondary and tertiary notes. Drink now.
August 7, 2023 - From 75cl, rotten cork removed with difficulty and in dozens of pieces, filtered and decanted 30 minutes, little development in glass. Now almost completely orange but for the dark purple sediment. Healthy "old-wine" raw leather and forest floor scent; utterly delicious light-bodied entry, very smooth-textured, almost glycerine-like. Delicious mid-palate strawberry fruit with retronasal rosemary and thyme; only on the finish does the acidity which kept this wine alive for nearly 40 years start tingling. An outstanding achievement in what was by all accounts a dud year for Rioja, and once again proof that there are no great wines, just great bottles... 90P
January 3, 2022 - Pale ruby / brown. Classic red plum and dill nose. Skimpy on the palate. Past its prime. (82)
March 11, 2021 - Notas clásicas de la casa en nariz, humedad, hongos. En boca está totalmente pulido y casi hubiera sido mejor bebérselo hace unos años. Persistencia media. Bueno pero no muy especial.
January 3, 2017 - Pale brick with an amber edge. American oak spice / dill, strong red fruit presence and some leather on the nose. Mature and a tad rustic but full of vibrancy as well. Plenty of life on the palate. Wonderful earthy characteristics that speak to place. Silky and satisfying. Drinking perfectly tonight - I don't see anything more for the wine to give. Not a blockbuster but a winner if you like classic, elegant wines with a bit of wildness. (93)
May 29, 2015 - From 75cl, decaying cork extracted successfully with ah-so. Like Prof B's bottle of 31.12.2014, this one seems to have been stored upside down at some stage, as a massive plug of sediment came out with the cork. Decanted 1 hour. Full-orange mature colour, this smells and tastes like a a cross between a mummified ancient minor Médoc and a ossified ancient Beaucastel. 84P(?), but strictly for zombie fans. "There are no great wines, just great bottles of wine..."
May 29, 2015 - A model example of severe cork taint. Undrinkable.
December 31, 2014 - I removed the cork on this one with issue with an ah-so. Although there was what appeared to be dried wine on top of the cork, the cork itself was in outstanding condition and showed no signs of leakage or soaking. Dark ruby in appearance, the wine seemed a bit tight upon opening. I left the bottle open with a small glass poured out for a while before ultimately decanting. My notes were taken ninety minutes after the decant. The aromas were initially dominated by a funky earth and floral combination that gave way to reveal red fruits (notably cherry and cranberry) along with dry mushrooms, balsawood and maybe a hint of vanilla. When tasted, plenty of acid was immediately noticeable along with the same red fruits, ash, and a rusty iron-like element that lingered on the palate for some time. An excellent bottle of wine.
December 28, 2014 - From 75cl, neck removed with port tongs; decanted leaving fine powdery sediment. Bright tawny-orange. Improved dramatically with air, this note after 1 hour: In much better shape than my previous bottle, this has an absolutely captivating vanilla-strawberry-cream scent. The palate is silky smooth, old wine (of course), lively acidity (it ROCKED with beef) and an expensively spicy-oak finish. The Angel of Bottle Variation smiled tonight. (89-)90P
December 16, 2014 - From 75cl, spongey cork extracted in one piece using my ah-so; decanted leaving a lot of powder-fine sediment behind. Pale orange brick/red-cherry colour. Promising barnyard smell, reminiscent of a weak and over-mature vintage of Beaucastel. Sweetish smooth-textured entry rapidly gains acidity and a surprising residual tannic grip towards the mid-palate; the finish is furry and fungal. Not bad at all for a 30-year old Crianza from a dud vintage, but definitely past its prime. I imagine there is massive bottle variation with this wine, and look forward to trying my remaining bottles soon. 85-86P