Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Tuesday, November 2, 2021 - A blend of Tempranillo (70%), Graciano (15%) and Mazuelo (15%). First the wine aged for 16 months in concrete tanks, after which the wine is transferred to old American (90%) and Slavonian (10%) oak barriques, in which the wine is aged for 2-3 years. Bottle #63861. I was told the cork seemed quite loose, there was a tiny leak and moderate ullage. Tasted blind.

Moderately evolved and rather translucent pale cherry red color with a mature pomegranate-red hue. Fragrant, evolved and very attractive nose with complex aromas of old leather saddle, some ripe strawberry, a little bit of dried dill, light sweet notes of wizened red fruits and dried cranberries, a hint of earth and a savory touch of old wood spice. The wine is silky smooth, resolved and moderately evolved on the palate with layered flavors of wizened cranberries and wild strawberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light leathery tones, a little bit of dill, a hint of phenolic spice and a touch of savory old wood. The structure relies more on the high acidity, although the quite resolved, gently grippy medium-plus tannins, that slowly pile up on the gums, bring some welcome firmness to the mouthfeel as well. The finish is long, complex and gently grippy with savory, layered flavors of wizened cherries and sweet strawberries, some bretty notes of leather saddle and stable floor, light crunchy cranberry tones, a hint of dill and a faint touch of vanilla.

Virtually everybody seemed to notice the subtle yet somewhat perceptible dill notes quite quickly and after this point it was only the question of whether the wine was an aged Rioja or an old Californian wine matured in American oak barrels. As old Rioja seemed a more likely possibility, we went with that - and that is what this wine was. This classic 48-yo Rioja is still fully alive and kickin', showing a good deal of tertiary complexity (and an understated yet also detectable streak of bretty funk, typical of Faustino) yet also more than enough fruit and vibrancy to make the wine feel balanced and fully enjoyable. Although I expect any further aging potential to be very limited, the wine doesn't feel like it is going to be getting downhill anytime soon. All in all, a fantastic mature Rioja at its peak. Good value at 49€.

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