2016 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Reserva
Community Tasting Note
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Saturday, October 28, 2023 - Weather getting cooler so decided to fire up the BBQ and drink some Spanish wines! Simple 2016 horizontal for some Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines. All of the wines were breathed in bottle for 1.5 hours and decanted for around 1 hour before serving.
2016 La Rioja Alta Rioja Vina Alberdi Reserva- (90pt) Excellent QPR, I thought this one was extremely vanilla flavored compared to the others. Slightly less structured. It was also slightly sweeter, perhaps strawberry Jam. Full-bodied, inky, smooth, and concentrated. Although this is perhaps the most budget of the wines, a healthy portion of guests really liked this wine paired with BBQ. Personally, it relatively lacked finesse and elegance. (100% Tempranillo)
2016 Benjamin Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macan- (92pt) My WOTN. Very elegant. This wine was beautifully structured and balanced. Perhaps not the best with BBQ but it had excellent structure and depth. Fresh, tobacco, blackberry, polished tannins, with aromatic oak. Medium+ body. (100% Tempranillo)
2016 Muga Rioja Seleccion Especial- (90pt) Compared to the others this wine stood out for smokey, meat, and gamey notes. Long and lively, I thought this wine was a bit grippy and tannic (in a good way). I thought it had good structure and focused. Dark berry, cherry cola, and leather. Med+ Body. I thought it was a bit restrained and lacking a bit of vibrancy compared to the other wines. (75% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano).
2016 Vina Vilano Ribera del Duero La Baraja- (90pt) Dark Cherry, black fruits, good balance, juicy, vanilla, dried violet, modern style RdD, good QPR, very approachable. Relatively lacking in complexity, depth, and structure. Excellent with BBQ. (75% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot)
2016 Aster Finca El Otero Ribera del Duero- (90pt) Relatively acidic and tart compared to the other wines. Smooth, peppery, cedar, balsamic, complex, black fruits, and currants. Elegant tannins and powerful mouthfeel. Well made wine but probably the least favorite amongst guests of the evening. (100% Tempranillo)
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