Paired with a 2012 of the same wine. Both wines are old-style Rioja, and delicious. They seem to be tempranillo-based blends, but didn't scream TEMPRANILLO. The 2010 had a livelier nose and more distinctive palate. Decanting both helped.
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Another half-year helped. Also, even better on the second day (gassed). This Rioja is coming together. Clearly not going to be at the top of the list, but a very decent bottle that's coming together. Rich, deep red and black fruit bottom offset with some floral notes at the top. Good minerality and balanced tannins.
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Thought it would have been better. Certainly a solid Rioja, but still unbalanced. Built around a dark core, it certainly has fruit and tannins. Just not clear that this is going to evolve.
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Still showing youthful imbalance. This will continue to get better. Enjoyed paired with the 2012, a more youthful and more fully developed version. This has great stuffing, and will continue to improve.
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Oak on the nose is noticeable. Lots of acids but not quite overpowering the fruit. Short finish. Fruit is what gets it as high a rating from me as it does but really nothing special...
Cellar Tracker ratings skewed by a few people who have written almost no reviews giving it a 92. Most wine drinkers have it in the 88-89 range and are fairly consistent. For $20 you can do better.
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Decanted and began drinking immediately; filling out with an hour of air, and at its best with 2+ hours. Earthy darkish fruit, tobacco, and barrel aromas, with touches of smoke and VA which work well. Plenty of acidity brings everything together on the palate; has a sourness that not everyone will find appealing - but it works pretty well - and an unusual fruit flavor like haw flakes, along with black cherry and the aforementioned earth-tobacco-barrel-light smoke combo. Noticeable but balanced tannins. Tasty characterful wine, and a perfectly reasonable value at $20.
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Dried cherry, cedar, and vanilla on the nose. Fine, dusty tannins that are well integrated. Could age for a few more years. Very good value for a Crianza of this quality.
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No formal notes. It's a six-year-old crianza but it still acts extremely young---dominated by oak and dark, rich fruit. Enjoyable with something meaty, but should offer much more refinement and balance several (or many) years down the road.
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This is everything I would want from a young crianza. The bottle I had was showing beautifully. Dried cherries, savory with the right balance of acidity. Explosive classic rioja nose.
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Great nose, lots of everything you want, if a little more oak driven while the 09 was more fruit driven. Doesn't have the fruit density of the 10 but it's racier. Good stuff. Crazy good for the price.
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1/12/2022 - LightDancer wrote: 91 Points
Paired with a 2012 of the same wine. Both wines are old-style Rioja, and delicious. They seem to be tempranillo-based blends, but didn't scream TEMPRANILLO. The 2010 had a livelier nose and more distinctive palate. Decanting both helped.
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12/13/2021 - LightDancer wrote: 90 Points
Another half-year helped. Also, even better on the second day (gassed). This Rioja is coming together. Clearly not going to be at the top of the list, but a very decent bottle that's coming together. Rich, deep red and black fruit bottom offset with some floral notes at the top. Good minerality and balanced tannins.
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5/3/2021 - LightDancer wrote: 88 Points
Thought it would have been better. Certainly a solid Rioja, but still unbalanced. Built around a dark core, it certainly has fruit and tannins. Just not clear that this is going to evolve.
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4/9/2020 - LightDancer wrote: 89 Points
Still showing youthful imbalance. This will continue to get better. Enjoyed paired with the 2012, a more youthful and more fully developed version. This has great stuffing, and will continue to improve.
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12/13/2018 - mpsocal Likes this wine: 88 Points
Not very good at first but after an hour of air time it opened quite nice. Had a little fruit and spice and an overall nice experience.
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12/16/2017 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
Oak on the nose is noticeable. Lots of acids but not quite overpowering the fruit. Short finish. Fruit is what gets it as high a rating from me as it does but really nothing special...
Cellar Tracker ratings skewed by a few people who have written almost no reviews giving it a 92. Most wine drinkers have it in the 88-89 range and are fairly consistent. For $20 you can do better.
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1/24/2017 - LightDancer wrote:
Really fine Crianza. Years left ahead for this one.
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1/2/2017 - jaredoco wrote: 89 Points
Vanilla everywhere. Balanced tho and tannins are fairly soft.
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8/25/2016 - gwkozar Likes this wine: 89 Points
no notes
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7/9/2016 - kronfeld wrote: 90 Points
Outperforms. Hugely pleasurable right now. Great potential.
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5/19/2016 - Beerzebub wrote:
Decanted and began drinking immediately; filling out with an hour of air, and at its best with 2+ hours. Earthy darkish fruit, tobacco, and barrel aromas, with touches of smoke and VA which work well. Plenty of acidity brings everything together on the palate; has a sourness that not everyone will find appealing - but it works pretty well - and an unusual fruit flavor like haw flakes, along with black cherry and the aforementioned earth-tobacco-barrel-light smoke combo. Noticeable but balanced tannins. Tasty characterful wine, and a perfectly reasonable value at $20.
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5/16/2016 - chambollique Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dried cherry, cedar, and vanilla on the nose. Fine, dusty tannins that are well integrated. Could age for a few more years. Very good value for a Crianza of this quality.
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4/19/2016 - JVG wrote:
No formal notes. It's a six-year-old crianza but it still acts extremely young---dominated by oak and dark, rich fruit. Enjoyable with something meaty, but should offer much more refinement and balance several (or many) years down the road.
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3/28/2016 - dhp. Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is everything I would want from a young crianza. The bottle I had was showing beautifully. Dried cherries, savory with the right balance of acidity. Explosive classic rioja nose.
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2/28/2016 - putter520 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice acidity, allows red fruit in wine to show well. Bottle could use some more time ageing though Still seems a bit unbalanced.
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9/15/2015 - yofog wrote:
Great nose, lots of everything you want, if a little more oak driven while the 09 was more fruit driven. Doesn't have the fruit density of the 10 but it's racier. Good stuff. Crazy good for the price.
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