Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Saturday, January 3, 2015 - Dark, but also moderately translucent mature orange color. Initially old and dusty nose, which opens up to reveal very developed and infinitely complex nose of wizened plums, raisin, dried flowers, dried figs and black cherries, some smoky character, a little bit of leather, light Tawny Port character, a hint of old furniture and a touch of balsamico. There's really a lot of everything. The wine is full-bodied, ripe and intense on the palate with complex, juicy and somewhat dusty flavors of red cherries, meaty umami character, tar, some earthy tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of leather. The wine is still quite vibrant and somewhat structured, but mainly due to the high acidity - the tannins feel pretty much fully resolved, offering only the slightest of grip to the gums. The finish is remarkably complex and persistent with layered, mature and dusty flavors of black cherries, leather, dried flowers, some earthy sous-bois, a little bit of tangy gooseberry, a hint of sour cherry and an umami touch of dry-cured beef.

A very impressive and complex Rioja Reserva with remarkable depth and stunning balance. The wine has been sitting on its plateau of maturity for quite a while, but it feels like it is still on it: there are lots of developed notes, but the wine still shows no signs of letting go yet. However, I have a strong feeling that the end is pretty nigh, so there is really no point in aging this wine further - it might hold on for a few years more, but there's not going to be happening any more development. A wonderful wine showing exactly why Rioja Gran Reservas should be drunk with some bottle age. Serve with or without food by decanting the wine off its deposit and pour it immediately afterwards; a wine like this might survive for a few moments of breathing, but most likely not much.

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