March 20, 2012 - A little past noon. This wine still has a nice black cheery note but is starting to pucker. average.
December 11, 2011 - Friends brought this to our 12/11/11 Spanish wine tasting. It had a ripe, fragrant bouquet of black cherry, cocoa, plum violet, smoke, anise and spice aromas. The palate was big, ripe and dense with flavors of black cherry, cocoa, plum, licorice, spice and minerals.
July 11, 2011 - A very earthy nose up front on this Mouvédre. Chalky soil and barnyard tones. Crushed red berries and some lavender tones. On the palate, it's medium bodied and flinty. Wet stone, earth and some hints of licorice are followed by dark red berry fruit. Some slight chalkiness on the finish and slight mint. Medium dryness. A rich earthiness returns on the finish and it lingers reasonably well. Well suited with food.
February 2, 2011 - Compared to Altos de la Hoya 2006 Monastrell http://tinyurl.com/dd3y2q this wine is much much fruitier. It has a little less tannins/tar flavor going on. Much more drinkable to me. Went great with cajun red beans and rice actually. Lots of red fruit, cranberries, cherries, blackberries on the nose, with a little less earth, but still notable. Good balance on fruit/tannins, not as much of a kick in the face of fruit as I'd expect with the nose. Maybe a little awkward going into the finish, but overall a great wine. I'm going to have to keep checking out this region based on my recent experiences and the value present here.
January 17, 2011 - Definitely past its prime. Drinkable but little else.
January 17, 2011 - Past it's prime but still good with company, & Corned Beef & Cabbage....
January 17, 2011 - Past it's prime but still good with company, & Corned Beef & Cabbage...
January 4, 2011 - Nose of cherry cough syrup and euchalyptus. Very one dimensional but bright and lively with tart cherry dominating. Not a bad wine for everyday drinking.
December 27, 2010 - Color: Light purple
Nose: Spice, violets
Taste: Bitter with violets, spice and chalk
Finish: Too acidic and out of balance
Evaluation: Flaws in this one 80 points
December 14, 2010 - Very nice. Smooth, clean finish, complex. GV at under $10