Two bottles, both PnP, developed nicely within the last four years. Intense savory mature notes of leather, forest floor and balsam, good acidity, smooth tannin and long finish. At its peak now, would drink it within the next four years, superb for its price level.
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Actually really nice. Dad pulled this out of his stash for dinner and I really enjoyed. Nobody is going to chase this wine, but if you are considering it.. Go ahead. You'll enjoy. Cheers
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Traditional Rioja, good mouthfeel, sour cherry, American oak (or so it seems). With certain foods this is a really good pairing — tonight with turkey burgers with white cheddar, bacon and a relish of apples, thyme, butter and garlic and a dill pickle slice. Better than a more fruit-driven modern style in my judgment.
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PnP and had with pasta. Thought it surprisingly good, especially after 25-30 min airtime. Dark fruit, bit of spice, hint of chocolate. Maybe even chocolate covered cherries. Rich moutg feel, excellent QPR
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Rich on aroma with dark fruit, hints of spice & backed by nuances of oaked dark chocolate. Medium body of silky smooth & fine tannins with mild lingering. Personally, the aroma wins over the palate. Charming reserve Rioja. Good to drink now, but could further cellar.
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I bought this on a whim. Did a quick CT search while at the store and saw a near 90 score, so figured it was worth a shot...
WOW! Popped and poured and out of the bottle, this wine was a winner.
Nose: dark chocolate and tea leaves.
Flavor profile: cracked black peppercorns, blueberry jamand slight hint of vanilla...but not in a new world over-oaked type of way. The oak was very well integrated. Tannins were velvety smooth. CT says the drinking window is until 2018, such Iceland is pretty accurate. While it can last another year, it's singing wonderfully now, don't bother waiting.
All in all, I'm so pumped about this wine. Enjoyed so much I went back today to pick up two more bottles. I paired this with a grilled strip steak and it was a phenomenal pairing. At ~$17 a bottle, it's a definite QPR. I really enjoyed this wine and happily give it a 92.
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Surprisingly still drank well. Fruit was still fairly vibrant & integrated well with chewy tannins & spicy earth tones. But it's definitely at the end of its life.
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To the nose, dark cherry with oak and spice - bigger bouquet than expected. Slight red cherry as well. Spice is sage, thyme, white pepper, with bramble? On the palate, similar fruit with boysenberry, plum and black berry joining the cherry. Oak but some vanilla, and then cola as warms to room temperature. Spice continues - pepper, but also some bramble. Tannins are thin now, still giving structure. Moderate mouthfeel, moderate length. As reached room temp and after 1.5-2 hours, has a very faint red meat/iron presence, with citrus (blood orange?) very faint at midpoint. May be produced in large quantities, but the QPR is great for this wine.
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Deep ruby color in the glass with a light garnet rim. Medium aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, plum and flint. The palate is plush and ripe with rhubarb, raspberry and blackberry. This, along with medium acidity, some heat and slightly chewy tannins on the medium finish bring a distinctly New World character to the wine. While it is easily approachable, I found it disappointing based on expectations for a classic Rioja Reserva.
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Very tasty commercial Rioja, plenty of old world flavors of earth, truffles, oak, balanced with enough red plum and cherry to keep you coming back for more.
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Double-decanted 6h prior. Excellent fruit and spice on the nose. Complex dark fruits on the palate with spice persisting. Totally integrated vanillic oak and good balance of acidity. A good partner to a slow-cooked shoulder of lamb. Good next day. This was served with a Palacio Glorioso Reserva 2008. Interestingly, the Glorioso was the more attractive wine when they were first opened but the Riscal showed its true qualities after 6 -24 hours and rather eclipsed the Glorioso. Will develop further, I think.
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Starts even after decanting an hour before dinner quite tart, but gets soften together with food. Very classic Rioja, cherry nose with little bit of plum and tertiary notes, rather high in acidity, medium body and length, gets better with each sip. There is no hurry to drink, it will last at least another six or more years, but it is definitely worth to decant and to give it the time it needs. 89+
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Deep ruby color. Vibrant nose of strawberry and red cherry compote with notes of vanilla and spice. Medium to full bodied on the palate with good presence and length.
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I'm going to start out that I think the bottle is starting to turn. Definitely has a "past it's prime oxidation" aroma on the nose and palate. Still has lots of fruit but had that stale smell to it. If it were a by the glass in a bar, I would send it back and ask them to open a fresh bottle. However, I just opened it!
Appearance - medium plus ruby. Clear.
Nose - developing. Prunes, raisins, stewed smell, fig newton filling, dark bitter chocolate, those dark chocolate nibs you buy. Some oxidation. Wet wool.
Palate - tastes fresher on palate but fresher is relative. Ok, it's not a young wine, but for a 2009 riserva I guess my expectations would be higher. Medium body, medium acidity, medium tannins, all well integrated. Intensity is medium plus. Finish is medium/medium plus. Flavors on palate are black fruit, ripe dark plums, cherries, blackberries. Mid palate and finish lots of black pepper. Chocolate and tobacco on finish.
Ok - had a pause in drinking and wine is starting to open up more. So, I would suggest if you have it, would suggest a decant. Flavors starting to emerge.
Would say after getting exposure to air, the wine shows at a higher level to price point. After 1.5 hours of air exposure, more developed fruit without as much oxidized feel on palate. Cigar box on finish.
It's an interesting wine that leaves you curious.
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Ruby red medium to heavy bodied. Nose ripe berries, plums, slight wood and spice. Palate same and the fruit is very apparent, buttery, well controlled! Finish medium with a nice buttery nut taste. Really wish I had another! Very nice and delicious!!
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Color: black pitch hues and tinge. No translucency. Nose: dried dark fruits, slight green, cracked black pepper. Flavor: fruit consists of dried plums and dark currents with some underlying flavors to compliment - licorice, bitter dark chocolate, some pepper, and a touch of vanilla. Middle shows some chalky tannin structure doing an excellent job of coating the mouth. Finish is smooth and silky. Linger is a good minute or more. Medium bodied.
For the flavor profile, the fruit component seems to be the predominate element, but by no means is it overbearing. Excellent balance overall; a very fine Rioja. Given the vintage, more likely than not that this bottle is reaching the end of its journey so enjoy while you can.
Medium body, low acid. Black and dark purple fruit of ripe currant and blackberry, dusty earth, and some tar on the nose. Great balance. I didn't find the oak to be as overwhelming as others have stated, and I'm not an over-oak lover. This won't blow away your wine snob friends, but it's a great midweek wine and an excellent value.
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Took this to a large family gathering. Smoky richness delivered through classic medium bodied Rioja. Perhaps too young but it did drink well and I wouldn't be in any rush to open this soon.
Bags of fruit, very well balanced oak and juicy acidity.
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Cork was nearly thoroughly soaked. I think it affected the wine as this was a bit all over the place. I was expecting something better considering vintage and producer. For $14 I'll probably try again.
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The Oak monster is definitely lurking in this wine. The oak is very strong on the nose, you also get the cedar and pepper. On the palate, this is smooth with subtle vanilla. Delicious tempranillo. A bargain at $18.
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Really solid wine. Did not expect much for a mass produced wine at this price. First night at italian restaurant (Sergio's) the bottle was too warm (temperature) but it was very impressive - berries bomb, complexity, smooth, oak, character of some age. Couple nights later in the fridge, wow, still really good after tasting another leftover Caymus. More oak came out, jammy jam nose, earth, leather, some subtle funk, strong fruits, more spices and depth and smooth. Will have to get more. I could see why some might complain of too much oak. I can def taste it, but it wasn't unpleasant as there are other elements making it enjoyable.
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Completely dominated by the oak monster. Not enough fruit, tannin, or other characteristics to keep it interesting or frankly drinkable. Half the bottle went down the drain.
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Surprisingly jammy and dense. Not my favorite style, but still enjoyed it. Dark jammy fruit with a little tartness, then oak, caramel, some black pepper, decent finish.
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Classic Rioja characteristics: nose of dark cherries and vanilla, perfect light ruby color. Cherry reduction on the palate followed by tobacco and black pepper. Medium acidity and fairly strong tannins. Medium finish with some hotness at the end. Overall a good medium bodied wine. Paired very well with a meaty lasagna.
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It had been a while since we had tasted any wine from La Rioja. I had forgotten what the traditional taste profile is like. Tight on first opening, with a touch of that prune taste that can be pretty apparent for a Rioja. It softened and the tannins gradually move to a better place as we tasted over the meal. Still, did not stack up as well to a 2010 Remelluri Vinedos de Labastadia. There was more interest during the first night in the Remelluri. HOWEVER, on the second night, the Marques de Riscal was fuller, with more bouquet and taste. Solid QPR. Want to try one of the Gran Reservas from Marques de Riscal and see how it tastes.
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Favorite of the night for 6/8 at our Spanish wine tasting party. This punched way above its weight. Well balanced and integrated. It's got fruit but also that underlying tobacco and leather. Not sure about the aging potential as it did lack some tannins.
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If you don,t like the wine wait another night, please see 10/3/15 note. Maybe it was the night, maybe it was the bottle, maybe it was my palate, evidently my wife's palate too as she agreed this was a nice old world style Rijoa. This particular bottle was an excellent example because the red fruit was so prominent and balanced the heavy oak. Drink now or later, but be warned, bottle and palate variation does exist, no matter what they say!
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WOTN. Cherry, cedar, earth. Plenty of tannins and just enough disjointed-ness to not make for an unpleasant voyage whatsoever but begs for another few years of down time. Very good, with potential for great.
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Decanted, as all young Rioja's should be. Showing a traditional style on the nose with good concentration. Perfumed with dried rose petals and violets, slightly dried cherry, cranberry and currant with scents of herbs, cigar box, leather, earth and coffee. On the palate, medium-plus in body. juicy, medium-plus acidity. Medium/medium-plus tannins are slightly chewy. Flavors lead with earth, tobacco, coffee and leather, where they develop on the palate to including crushed dried flowers and wood before ending with dried cherry fruit, cranberry, pomegranate, currant and plum. Lingers nicely on the palate with medium/medium+ intensity.
Overall drinking well with air, but as always with this producer and most from the region, should hit its stride at the decade mark. At this point in time 89-90
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Interesting. This has incredible power. Real concentration, wood, fruit, acid, even a touch of tannins - bear in mind this is Rioja.
So what does all that mean? I'm not sure - I decanted this bottle for an hour and drank it over 3. Its definitely young, and whilst I can't argue with the general sentiment of previous comments, I'm reluctant to condemn it so quickly. I have a sneaking suspicion that this dense mesh of flavour and oak may come good.
It seems to have the raw ingredients to do so. And Riscal used to be (I'm not so sure about now) a really consistent and traditional producer. Despite their well published dalliance with Cab Sauv.
So.... no rating for now. As always with young Rioja from good producers (and particularly in the last decade, where a combination of Parker and economics have led the Riojans astray) I reserve judgement. I take on board what has already been written, but I think this could be a good bottle.
This bottle from this vintage was a little too oaky for me, besides the old woody notes there was some earth, spice, hints of red plum and raspberries. I have tasted many vintages of this prolifically available Rioja, this vintage was a little overdone with the wood, due to soft tannins this should be consumed over the next Cole of years.
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Colour: inky cherry/burgundy Nose: very earthy, forest floor, cherry. Lots of red and black fruit. Balsamic vinegar. Old American oak. Palate: lots of black fruit. Blueberry. Earthy. Forest floor. Rich, full bodied. Old oak. Savoury, with some elegance. 14% alcohol. Very nice. Fine grained medium tannins, slightly drying. Mild berry like acidity.
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Dyp rødlilla farge. Lukt av sorte bær med litt tørkede kirsebær. Smak av mørke bær. Frisk syre. En del krydder, men samtidig velbalansert og rund. Lang ettersmak, med litt eik og tanniner. Først drukket til grillet lammebog. En god match, men tåler nok også mat med enda mer smak. Senere drukket forran utepeisen en sen sommerkveld og jammen passet den ikke til det også.
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Vibrant nose, red berry and oaky initial flavor, and then BURN. Too hot! If not for the heavy alcohol finish, this would be a gorgeous wine. Alas, the sharp burn when swallowing kinda ruined the experience :^(
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Classic rioja, with a spicy note, lots of sweet oak, vanilla, leather, red berries, cherrie, tea. Perhaps marked by the hot vintage since the fruit almost felt heavy, at least for a classic rioja...will definetly try the 2010!
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Deep red and clear in the glass. Remarkably complex nose with cherry, chocolate, coconut, and vanilla. Same notes on the palate but integrated. Ample acidity, not noticably tannic and quite hot despite 14% alcohol. Chocolate, cherry finish.
All-in-all, this bottle was an outstanding value. I've had bottles at 10X this price that didn't present such an interesting and attractive nose. Really, the only detraction, for me, was that the structure seemed to be dominated by the alcohol.
Still, at $16/750ml, I'll be back for more ..........
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16,5/20 ***1/2 Grenat, nez boisé et vanillé. La bouche est marquée par le bois avec de beaux tanins fondus. Il a une belle évolution. Un très beau Rioja Reserva
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Dark ruby. Slightly smokey nose with red and dark berries, liquorice spice and cedar notes. Full body with good balance between tannins and acids, leading to a medium finish. Should benefit from some further cellaring to tune down the oak effect but its a good wine and good vfm too.
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very oaky nose, rich and smoky Refreshing, good balance Leather GOod and long Lovely style stuffed with fruit but not overblown or noticeably modern I'd love to try this in a few years £14 - good price
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Totally closed on first night, both aromatically and on the palate. Will see how this develops over a few nights.
2nd night: slightly spirity nose, hint of jujubes and rose petal aromas - a bit confected. Full to medium bodied, adequate acid zing with medium tannins, still quite tight in the midpalate, coffee grinds, stewed plum flavours predominate with a hint of dried coconut and spice in the background, these flavours continue with length. A touch spirity.
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Yet another success for this great Bodega. The 2009 Marques de Riscal Reserva exhibits a clear ruby colour and is endowed with lovely aromatics in the form of fresh strawberries, cool mint and toasty creme brulee. It is medium to full bodied with a soft texture and delightful flavours of creme de cassis, tobacco leaf and spongy fruit cake. The finish is also quite notable as the wine lingers on for a good thirty seconds. A solid Rioja and great value as always. Enjoy it now through 2020.
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Touring Northern Spain; 4/17/2014-4/26/2014: (At the bodega in Elciego) Given the size of the annual production this is quite a respectable wine with both traditional (oak, earth, a touch of wet dog) and modern aromatic elements (sweet berries, licorice).
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A trial balloon (just released in the UK): Totally closed at first. More or less works with beef stew after 90 minutes, though it's still tight in the third hour. Needs time, air, and substantial food. On the second evening, after breathing one more hour - it's quite nice and much more open (FYI, on opening, half the bottle was poured to a half-bottle and stored; it got some exposure to air in the process of pouring + breathing an hour before serving on the second evening). Quite nice, showing great promise for the long term 88-90.
Will open the next bottle in 2019 to re-assess the situation. At £11 this is fantastic value (on sale at Sainsbury's). Drink 2019-2026. Otherwise decant several hours. This is rather tannic in the present form.
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5/28/2021 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 89 Points
Sweet red fruit and coconut and a hint of spice. Spicy red cherry and some leathery, savoury notes too. Fully mature and very nice.
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1/31/2021 - amateur62 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Two bottles, both PnP, developed nicely within the last four years.
Intense savory mature notes of leather, forest floor and balsam, good acidity, smooth tannin and long finish. At its peak now, would drink it within the next four years, superb for its price level.
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6/7/2020 - Gregboch wrote: 88 Points
Actually really nice. Dad pulled this out of his stash for dinner and I really enjoyed. Nobody is going to chase this wine, but if you are considering it.. Go ahead. You'll enjoy. Cheers
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2/14/2020 - franm Likes this wine: 90 Points
cheers
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12/28/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine: 89 Points
From magnum...ready to drink, great VFM, probably not for keeping much longer.
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9/23/2019 - bhouk wrote:
Traditional Rioja, good mouthfeel, sour cherry, American oak (or so it seems). With certain foods this is a really good pairing — tonight with turkey burgers with white cheddar, bacon and a relish of apples, thyme, butter and garlic and a dill pickle slice. Better than a more fruit-driven modern style in my judgment.
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10/10/2018 - mats13 wrote: 88 Points
Just not much here. Medium body, pleasant enough nose, but very little fruit on the palate to speak of. Not interesting in the slightest to me.
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4/20/2018 - J3r0me H@n Likes this wine: 90 Points
From 375
Chocolate Cherry Cordials. Spicy oak. Slight dill note. Good acid and long life ahead. No sense of age yet.
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1/10/2018 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium ruby color. No detailed TN taken but this still has a long life ahead of it if well cared for. Plenty of sweet red fruit and spice.
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10/11/2017 - Jayhorn wrote: 90 Points
Would get this one again.
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7/16/2017 - Coupe 60 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP and had with pasta. Thought it surprisingly good, especially after 25-30 min airtime. Dark fruit, bit of spice, hint of chocolate. Maybe even chocolate covered cherries. Rich moutg feel, excellent QPR
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6/26/2017 - franm Likes this wine: 89 Points
cheers - excellent
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6/17/2017 - radm.hum Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich on aroma with dark fruit, hints of spice & backed by nuances of oaked dark chocolate. Medium body of silky smooth & fine tannins with mild lingering. Personally, the aroma wins over the palate. Charming reserve Rioja. Good to drink now, but could further cellar.
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6/12/2017 - mmjlondon Does not like this wine:
Crap, dont buy the 2009 Vintage
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5/29/2017 - Mr. Brunello wrote: 92 Points
I bought this on a whim. Did a quick CT search while at the store and saw a near 90 score, so figured it was worth a shot...
WOW! Popped and poured and out of the bottle, this wine was a winner.
Nose: dark chocolate and tea leaves.
Flavor profile: cracked black peppercorns, blueberry jamand slight hint of vanilla...but not in a new world over-oaked type of way. The oak was very well integrated. Tannins were velvety smooth. CT says the drinking window is until 2018, such Iceland is pretty accurate. While it can last another year, it's singing wonderfully now, don't bother waiting.
All in all, I'm so pumped about this wine. Enjoyed so much I went back today to pick up two more bottles. I paired this with a grilled strip steak and it was a phenomenal pairing. At ~$17 a bottle, it's a definite QPR. I really enjoyed this wine and happily give it a 92.
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5/14/2017 - Vino&Whiskey Likes this wine: 89 Points
Surprisingly still drank well. Fruit was still fairly vibrant & integrated well with chewy tannins & spicy earth tones. But it's definitely at the end of its life.
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5/13/2017 - capnfutsal Likes this wine: 90 Points
To the nose, dark cherry with oak and spice - bigger bouquet than expected. Slight red cherry as well. Spice is sage, thyme, white pepper, with bramble?
On the palate, similar fruit with boysenberry, plum and black berry joining the cherry. Oak but some vanilla, and then cola as warms to room temperature. Spice continues - pepper, but also some bramble. Tannins are thin now, still giving structure. Moderate mouthfeel, moderate length. As reached room temp and after 1.5-2 hours, has a very faint red meat/iron presence, with citrus (blood orange?) very faint at midpoint.
May be produced in large quantities, but the QPR is great for this wine.
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4/23/2017 - gresch wrote: 82 Points
The mid-palate seemed a little thin at first though it did pick up some weight over time. I picked up more oak than fruit.
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4/9/2017 - franm Likes this wine: 89 Points
cheers
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4/4/2017 - yaki wrote: 86 Points
Deep ruby color in the glass with a light garnet rim. Medium aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, plum and flint. The palate is plush and ripe with rhubarb, raspberry and blackberry. This, along with medium acidity, some heat and slightly chewy tannins on the medium finish bring a distinctly New World character to the wine. While it is easily approachable, I found it disappointing based on expectations for a classic Rioja Reserva.
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3/25/2017 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Very tasty commercial Rioja, plenty of old world flavors of earth, truffles, oak, balanced with enough red plum and cherry to keep you coming back for more.
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2/25/2017 - mprosser wrote:
Last two bottles were over the hill.
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2/12/2017 - johnrm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Double-decanted 6h prior. Excellent fruit and spice on the nose. Complex dark fruits on the palate with spice persisting. Totally integrated vanillic oak and good balance of acidity. A good partner to a slow-cooked shoulder of lamb.
Good next day. This was served with a Palacio Glorioso Reserva 2008. Interestingly, the Glorioso was the more attractive wine when they were first opened but the Riscal showed its true qualities after 6 -24 hours and rather eclipsed the Glorioso. Will develop further, I think.
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1/28/2017 - amateur62 wrote: 89 Points
Starts even after decanting an hour before dinner quite tart, but gets soften together with food. Very classic Rioja, cherry nose with little bit of plum and tertiary notes, rather high in acidity, medium body and length, gets better with each sip. There is no hurry to drink, it will last at least another six or more years, but it is definitely worth to decant and to give it the time it needs. 89+
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1/26/2017 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 89 Points
Finally ready to drink. Delicious!
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1/17/2017 - dougsmith wrote: flawed
Corked.
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1/3/2017 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep ruby color. Vibrant nose of strawberry and red cherry compote with notes of vanilla and spice. Medium to full bodied on the palate with good presence and length.
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12/25/2016 - Tannatastic Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely. Just starting to relax a little now, showing fruit and plenty of vanilla.
Long life ahead, I would say.
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12/4/2016 - Ellen5181 Likes this wine: 86 Points
I'm going to start out that I think the bottle is starting to turn. Definitely has a "past it's prime oxidation" aroma on the nose and palate. Still has lots of fruit but had that stale smell to it. If it were a by the glass in a bar, I would send it back and ask them to open a fresh bottle. However, I just opened it!
Appearance - medium plus ruby. Clear.
Nose - developing. Prunes, raisins, stewed smell, fig newton filling, dark bitter chocolate, those dark chocolate nibs you buy. Some oxidation. Wet wool.
Palate - tastes fresher on palate but fresher is relative. Ok, it's not a young wine, but for a 2009 riserva I guess my expectations would be higher. Medium body, medium acidity, medium tannins, all well integrated. Intensity is medium plus. Finish is medium/medium plus. Flavors on palate are black fruit, ripe dark plums, cherries, blackberries. Mid palate and finish lots of black pepper. Chocolate and tobacco on finish.
Ok - had a pause in drinking and wine is starting to open up more. So, I would suggest if you have it, would suggest a decant. Flavors starting to emerge.
Would say after getting exposure to air, the wine shows at a higher level to price point. After 1.5 hours of air exposure, more developed fruit without as much oxidized feel on palate. Cigar box on finish.
It's an interesting wine that leaves you curious.
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12/3/2016 - Philckw wrote: 92 Points
Ruby red medium to heavy bodied. Nose ripe berries, plums, slight wood and spice. Palate same and the fruit is very apparent, buttery, well controlled! Finish medium with a nice buttery nut taste. Really wish I had another! Very nice and delicious!!
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12/1/2016 - IPT Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color: black pitch hues and tinge. No translucency.
Nose: dried dark fruits, slight green, cracked black pepper.
Flavor: fruit consists of dried plums and dark currents with some underlying flavors to compliment - licorice, bitter dark chocolate, some pepper, and a touch of vanilla. Middle shows some chalky tannin structure doing an excellent job of coating the mouth. Finish is smooth and silky. Linger is a good minute or more. Medium bodied.
For the flavor profile, the fruit component seems to be the predominate element, but by no means is it overbearing. Excellent balance overall; a very fine Rioja. Given the vintage, more likely than not that this bottle is reaching the end of its journey so enjoy while you can.
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11/12/2016 - damiller07 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Dark cherry and cedar notes on a ice racy structure. WS - 85
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10/15/2016 - Vino Nomad wrote: 89 Points
Medium body, low acid. Black and dark purple fruit of ripe currant and blackberry, dusty earth, and some tar on the nose. Great balance. I didn't find the oak to be as overwhelming as others have stated, and I'm not an over-oak lover. This won't blow away your wine snob friends, but it's a great midweek wine and an excellent value.
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10/5/2016 - JohnnyO529 wrote:
Mom said short start short finish, no real tannins
Kristin is also on the fence about it.
5/10
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10/2/2016 - franm Likes this wine: 91 Points
cheers - tasted against a regular rioja, this wine was better hands down, much smoother with more oak and some barnyard
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10/1/2016 - Barry G Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took this to a large family gathering. Smoky richness delivered through classic medium bodied Rioja. Perhaps too young but it did drink well and I wouldn't be in any rush to open this soon.
Bags of fruit, very well balanced oak and juicy acidity.
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10/1/2016 - WetRock wrote:
Cork was nearly thoroughly soaked. I think it affected the wine as this was a bit all over the place. I was expecting something better considering vintage and producer. For $14 I'll probably try again.
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9/20/2016 - Keeping It Real wrote: 89 Points
The Oak monster is definitely lurking in this wine. The oak is very strong on the nose, you also get the cedar and pepper. On the palate, this is smooth with subtle vanilla. Delicious tempranillo. A bargain at $18.
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9/6/2016 - franm Likes this wine: 88 Points
cheers - seemed more tannic than the other bottles I've had
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9/4/2016 - yatchisin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Leather, tobacco, oak--very good match with grilled tri-tip.
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8/7/2016 - Lfmz777 wrote: 88 Points
17 $
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7/18/2016 - km5 wrote:
Really solid wine. Did not expect much for a mass produced wine at this price. First night at italian restaurant (Sergio's) the bottle was too warm (temperature) but it was very impressive - berries bomb, complexity, smooth, oak, character of some age. Couple nights later in the fridge, wow, still really good after tasting another leftover Caymus. More oak came out, jammy jam nose, earth, leather, some subtle funk, strong fruits, more spices and depth and smooth. Will have to get more. I could see why some might complain of too much oak. I can def taste it, but it wasn't unpleasant as there are other elements making it enjoyable.
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7/14/2016 - FjordogFjell Likes this wine: 88 Points
4/5 Deilig spanjol med fin frukt og balansert eik
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7/8/2016 - brunomr Likes this wine: 88 Points
Expected a bit more from it - didn't open up that much.
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6/30/2016 - tigerpaw75 Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Completely dominated by the oak monster. Not enough fruit, tannin, or other characteristics to keep it interesting or frankly drinkable. Half the bottle went down the drain.
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6/17/2016 - AnthonyGS Likes this wine: 88 Points
A great value in Spanish red. Full bodied with a very smooth finish.
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5/31/2016 - Doug Fir wrote: 89 Points
Surprisingly jammy and dense. Not my favorite style, but still enjoyed it. Dark jammy fruit with a little tartness, then oak, caramel, some black pepper, decent finish.
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5/25/2016 - jerbearjb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Funky barnyard aromas upon opening. Cedar and a bit of spice on the palate. Tremendous food wine. Still some tannins, but drinking nicely.
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5/3/2016 - franm Likes this wine: 90 Points
cheers - delicious, big Rioja, an incredible value. If you like oak, barnyard, and a long finish.....go for it! I'm buying more.
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4/19/2016 - gbpeyton Likes this wine: 90 Points
Classic Rioja characteristics: nose of dark cherries and vanilla, perfect light ruby color. Cherry reduction on the palate followed by tobacco and black pepper. Medium acidity and fairly strong tannins. Medium finish with some hotness at the end. Overall a good medium bodied wine. Paired very well with a meaty lasagna.
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4/3/2016 - kennyd Likes this wine: 89 Points
It had been a while since we had tasted any wine from La Rioja. I had forgotten what the traditional taste profile is like. Tight on first opening, with a touch of that prune taste that can be pretty apparent for a Rioja. It softened and the tannins gradually move to a better place as we tasted over the meal. Still, did not stack up as well to a 2010 Remelluri Vinedos de Labastadia. There was more interest during the first night in the Remelluri. HOWEVER, on the second night, the Marques de Riscal was fuller, with more bouquet and taste. Solid QPR. Want to try one of the Gran Reservas from Marques de Riscal and see how it tastes.
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3/28/2016 - jigones Likes this wine: 92 Points
Favorite of the night for 6/8 at our Spanish wine tasting party. This punched way above its weight. Well balanced and integrated. It's got fruit but also that underlying tobacco and leather. Not sure about the aging potential as it did lack some tannins.
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3/12/2016 - Torchy Likes this wine: 84 Points
Fruit and wood in a mix. Tannins are still noticeable and not that well integrated.
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2/4/2016 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 89 Points
Medium bodied, round, balanced, smooth. Paired well with both Duck and Burger.
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1/30/2016 - franm Likes this wine: 90 Points
cheers - very nice, I'll buy more! Will be interesting to try it again in a few years.
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1/29/2016 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very good! Definitely needed some air, dark in colour, a bit tannic on the palate but still well balanced. Drink or hold.
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12/26/2015 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 88 Points
Another very nice bottle of Riscal.
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12/23/2015 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
If you don,t like the wine wait another night, please see 10/3/15 note. Maybe it was the night, maybe it was the bottle, maybe it was my palate, evidently my wife's palate too as she agreed this was a nice old world style Rijoa. This particular bottle was an excellent example because the red fruit was so prominent and balanced the heavy oak. Drink now or later, but be warned, bottle and palate variation does exist, no matter what they say!
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12/21/2015 - JollyWino Likes this wine: 85 Points
Fruity aroma. Heavy acid, oaky on the palate. Moderate to heavy tannin. Not bad, but a little too jammy and tart for me.
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11/15/2015 - skurtz Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nice classic Rioja. Not super complex but delicious with my filet at STK in Atlanta.
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11/14/2015 - Neecies wrote: 85 Points
Earth, cherry and vanilla--too much oak and not enough acid. Pretty boring, actually.
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11/7/2015 - jeffal66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
WOTN. Cherry, cedar, earth. Plenty of tannins and just enough disjointed-ness to not make for an unpleasant voyage whatsoever but begs for another few years of down time. Very good, with potential for great.
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11/7/2015 - clubs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Old favorite. Good vintage.
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10/31/2015 - Acucole wrote: 89 Points
Just great!
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10/25/2015 - bjamesclark wrote: 90 Points
Decanted, as all young Rioja's should be.
Showing a traditional style on the nose with good concentration. Perfumed with dried rose petals and violets, slightly dried cherry, cranberry and currant with scents of herbs, cigar box, leather, earth and coffee.
On the palate, medium-plus in body. juicy, medium-plus acidity. Medium/medium-plus tannins are slightly chewy. Flavors lead with earth, tobacco, coffee and leather, where they develop on the palate to including crushed dried flowers and wood before ending with dried cherry fruit, cranberry, pomegranate, currant and plum. Lingers nicely on the palate with medium/medium+ intensity.
Overall drinking well with air, but as always with this producer and most from the region, should hit its stride at the decade mark. At this point in time 89-90
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10/19/2015 - Tannatastic wrote:
Interesting. This has incredible power. Real concentration, wood, fruit, acid, even a touch of tannins - bear in mind this is Rioja.
So what does all that mean? I'm not sure - I decanted this bottle for an hour and drank it over 3. Its definitely young, and whilst I can't argue with the general sentiment of previous comments, I'm reluctant to condemn it so quickly. I have a sneaking suspicion that this dense mesh of flavour and oak may come good.
It seems to have the raw ingredients to do so. And Riscal used to be (I'm not so sure about now) a really consistent and traditional producer. Despite their well published dalliance with Cab Sauv.
So.... no rating for now. As always with young Rioja from good producers (and particularly in the last decade, where a combination of Parker and economics have led the Riojans astray) I reserve judgement. I take on board what has already been written, but I think this could be a good bottle.
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10/3/2015 - wineshaman wrote: 87 Points
This bottle from this vintage was a little too oaky for me, besides the old woody notes there was some earth, spice, hints of red plum and raspberries. I have tasted many vintages of this prolifically available Rioja, this vintage was a little overdone with the wood, due to soft tannins this should be consumed over the next Cole of years.
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9/27/2015 - penguinoid Likes this wine:
Colour: inky cherry/burgundy
Nose: very earthy, forest floor, cherry. Lots of red and black fruit. Balsamic vinegar. Old American oak.
Palate: lots of black fruit. Blueberry. Earthy. Forest floor. Rich, full bodied. Old oak. Savoury, with some elegance. 14% alcohol. Very nice. Fine grained medium tannins, slightly drying. Mild berry like acidity.
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9/19/2015 - RussK wrote: 86 Points
Russk. I poured this one down the drain. Does not compare well with the 2008 and some of the earlier vintages that I have enjoyed.
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9/18/2015 - ThalesGaspar Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very good. Drinking well right now.
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8/9/2015 - SpiSan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Woody, spicy and fruity with a long finish. Drank well with a BBQ beef steak.
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7/4/2015 - havarhar Likes this wine: 87 Points
Dyp rødlilla farge. Lukt av sorte bær med litt tørkede kirsebær. Smak av mørke bær. Frisk syre. En del krydder, men samtidig velbalansert og rund. Lang ettersmak, med litt eik og tanniner. Først drukket til grillet lammebog. En god match, men tåler nok også mat med enda mer smak. Senere drukket forran utepeisen en sen sommerkveld og jammen passet den ikke til det også.
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6/30/2015 - StoneMonkeyKing Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Vibrant nose, red berry and oaky initial flavor, and then BURN. Too hot! If not for the heavy alcohol finish, this would be a gorgeous wine. Alas, the sharp burn when swallowing kinda ruined the experience :^(
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6/29/2015 - am7565 wrote: 90 Points
Very pleasant rioja. Nice body but quite drinkable.
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5/31/2015 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 88 Points
Classic rioja, with a spicy note, lots of sweet oak, vanilla, leather, red berries, cherrie, tea. Perhaps marked by the hot vintage since the fruit almost felt heavy, at least for a classic rioja...will definetly try the 2010!
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4/25/2015 - texanoblues Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep red and clear in the glass. Remarkably complex nose with cherry, chocolate, coconut, and vanilla. Same notes on the palate but integrated. Ample acidity, not noticably tannic and quite hot despite 14% alcohol. Chocolate, cherry finish.
All-in-all, this bottle was an outstanding value. I've had bottles at 10X this price that didn't present such an interesting and attractive nose. Really, the only detraction, for me, was that the structure seemed to be dominated by the alcohol.
Still, at $16/750ml, I'll be back for more ..........
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4/20/2015 - BoireBio Likes this wine: 83 Points
16,5/20 ***1/2
Grenat, nez boisé et vanillé.
La bouche est marquée par le bois avec de beaux tanins fondus. Il a une belle évolution. Un très beau Rioja Reserva
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3/20/2015 - johnharty wrote: 89 Points
good mix of traditional and modern although leaning toward traditional. possibly too heavy on the alcohol. nice fruit and oak on the nose.
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3/12/2015 - Yorgos wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby. Slightly smokey nose with red and dark berries, liquorice spice and cedar notes. Full body with good balance between tannins and acids, leading to a medium finish. Should benefit from some further cellaring to tune down the oak effect but its a good wine and good vfm too.
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11/21/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
very oaky nose, rich and smoky
Refreshing, good balance
Leather
GOod and long
Lovely style stuffed with fruit but not overblown or noticeably modern
I'd love to try this in a few years
£14 - good price
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11/8/2014 - lightning wrote: 86 Points
Totally closed on first night, both aromatically and on the palate. Will see how this develops over a few nights.
2nd night: slightly spirity nose, hint of jujubes and rose petal aromas - a bit confected. Full to medium bodied, adequate acid zing with medium tannins, still quite tight in the midpalate, coffee grinds, stewed plum flavours predominate with a hint of dried coconut and spice in the background, these flavours continue with length. A touch spirity.
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10/20/2014 - Wineguy76 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Yet another success for this great Bodega. The 2009 Marques de Riscal Reserva exhibits a clear ruby colour and is endowed with lovely aromatics in the form of fresh strawberries, cool mint and toasty creme brulee. It is medium to full bodied with a soft texture and delightful flavours of creme de cassis, tobacco leaf and spongy fruit cake. The finish is also quite notable as the wine lingers on for a good thirty seconds. A solid Rioja and great value as always. Enjoy it now through 2020.
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6/20/2014 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep ruby color. Vibrant, focused black cherry and spice aromas. Medium bodied, rounded on the palate. Elegant Rioja.
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4/22/2014 - DK Amateur wrote:
Touring Northern Spain; 4/17/2014-4/26/2014: (At the bodega in Elciego) Given the size of the annual production this is quite a respectable wine with both traditional (oak, earth, a touch of wet dog) and modern aromatic elements (sweet berries, licorice).
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4/22/2014 - Herschel Krustofski Likes this wine: 89 Points
A trial balloon (just released in the UK):
Totally closed at first. More or less works with beef stew after 90 minutes, though it's still tight in the third hour. Needs time, air, and substantial food.
On the second evening, after breathing one more hour - it's quite nice and much more open (FYI, on opening, half the bottle was poured to a half-bottle and stored; it got some exposure to air in the process of pouring + breathing an hour before serving on the second evening).
Quite nice, showing great promise for the long term 88-90.
Will open the next bottle in 2019 to re-assess the situation.
At £11 this is fantastic value (on sale at Sainsbury's).
Drink 2019-2026. Otherwise decant several hours. This is rather tannic in the present form.
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