Double decanted in the AM. Drunk over a few hours at dinner
At first, tobacco, asphalt and deep dark fruits on the nose. With air time it gains in both he nose and the palate, adding nuance and more layers. Florals, more dark fruits, and savory ferrous notes emerge. This continues to grow int he glass over a few hours with the last glass the best. Meaty, mushroom savory notes come to the fore with time. A complex, deep serious wine drinking at peak with plenty of time in hand. Outstanding. 95
A terrific pairing with a rosemary and oregano braised pork shoulder with polenta.
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Fully soaked crumbly cork, -2cm fill level... this wine had me worried. But Rioja showed itself indestructible once again. This was still ruby (with a garnet rim) in the glass, and needed a few minutes to unfurl. After that, it showed intense cherry, strawberry, blueberry, some tea, a touch of vanilla, leather, oak and integrated tannins. This was intense, and stayed on its feet (easily) until the last drop. If you have a good bottle, this is drinking at its peak now (depending on your preference obviously)!
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This is a great wine, and this bottle was in the same league as last one four years ago. I am moving across country and pulled this to drink before we left the house, but ended up drinking it at the hotel we had to stay at because our house was in boxes! All this in the way of saying that the normal pouring, decanting and such went out the window. Due to COVID the hotel wouldn’t bring a wine decanter to the room with our room service, but they did bring some coffee filters which turned out to be very useful. The cork was utterly saturated and crumbled completely. I didn’t have the Durand due to the move or it would have been different, but I did manage to pull most of the deteriorated cork out leaving only a few chunks, and the coffee filter did the rest.
Wine tasted of coffee, leather, dark berry, earth, toast, with sweet herbal acidity. A short decant would have been nice but still a winner without it.
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A small gathering with COVID safety measures at Bryan's (Undisclosed location in McLean, VA): Medium expressive nose displaying slightly lean black fruit, black cherry, a hint of plum, roasted nuts, American oak and earth. Fully integrated palate, finely layered slightly lean black fruit, silky and polished, medium acidity and medium mineral, and a medium to long black fruit driven finish with American oak at the end. Drinking nicely but no need to wait.
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Still some redcurrant fruit but heading into one dimensional decline. About 10 years on the downslope. Needs drinking though no doubt there will be bottle variation.
Great showing by this bottle. High shoulder fill. The cork was completely soaked but no seepage. Double decanted for sediment in the morning and the wine had very good color, very little hits of brown and a pure sweet tempranillo nose, if a bit restrained, Had this been an old Barolo where I have more experience, i'd not have been at all concerned. Enjoyed at dinner about 12 hours later and the wine was beautiful, the color had held but the wine had picked up some weight. And the initial impressions the same, but with more weight and a greater sense of confidence that this wine was in no danger of falling over the cliff. Just a lovely, lovely expression of graceful fully mature tempranillo., Hope my remaining bottles show so well.
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'02 Musar at the Morris (The Morris, SF): Dilly! Medium body, dried cherry, dried orange. Elevated acid. Soft melted tannins - still a bit drying. Slight Brett. Very nice.
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Mix of red and brown color. Some bricking. Wine needed time to blow off but after an hour of so was quite nice. Aged fruit which gained weight in the glass. Red berries, complex, good acidity, tannins are there but integrated. I thought this was good and others felt it was amazing. Many peoples WOTN whereas I felt it was solid and drinking well.
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Wow. Just wow. Interesting smells of tobacco on the nose and almost 'funk' when opened.. this disappeared quickly when decanted. Tasted this immediately upon pouring and knew we were in for something special. Decanted and sampled over 2 hours before the primary pours. Flavours of strawberry tart, chocolate and something between vanilla and carmel. Light, transparent ruby colour. Enjoyed with a sous vide tomahawk steak, buttered mushrooms and roast vegetables.
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Almost Musar-Like on the nose and palate...it's quite possible that in a blind tasting I could have been challenged with this wine. Scents of an oil-stained cement floor, clove, orange-rind, floral notes, and potpourri. The palate is awash in black cherry, fig, kirsch, and a bright strawberry note that lasts on the finish. Medium body, medium acidity, med tannin, and a freshness of fruit that seems like this could last another 10+ years with good storage. What a lovely and graceful wine...brilliant!
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Transparent bright red cherry colour. Nose is earthy, very earthy and black cherry....beautiful. Palate has an immediately sharp, fresh acidity combined with a Bordeaux earthy and mushroomy grounded-ness. Very deep bass-tone resonance inside the head and really long high-toned reverberance on the finale. Fantastic!
Too beautiful to worry about nerdy details but I think this was only bottled c.15 years ago. It shared much in uncompromising old-world and still world-class winemaking with the Ch. Musar 1991 that preceded it.
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Perfect now but will hold. Sweet, pretty American oak, with earthy humus nose. Nice lift and balance. Better than the 1970 Imperial GR and will last longer.
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I was shocked at how young this looked and tasted. The color is blackberry red. Very dark for a wine it's age. Not too developed and zero deterioration. I could swear this is an '89 or a '91. You can feel the power on the first sip. Very round and potent. Plum, blackberry, cigarbox and earth. There's enough acid to give it structure but it feels fat and hollow. Like an empty or half-filled chocolate truffle. And I think it is that, which won't let me rate it higher. Overall, this has come together tremendously well for a 46 year old wine. It must be at peak now but looks so young I'd consider aging a few years more. But it's just so deliciously good now. Drink Now-2026.
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Deep red with orange/amber hues and perfectly clear in the glass. Highly aromatic with prominent eucalyptus and cedar, blackberry, plum and cherry fruit in the background. Everything clean and crystal clear. No funk or unpleasant odors. What a nose! Everything promised by the bouquet was delivered to the palate. Full, intense, and clean. I'm thoroughly amazed by how much fruit remains in this bottle. Beyond smooth, long cedar, cherry finish.
This was the last of four bottles, and by far was the best. Why is it that the last has to be the best? Temptation?
No way to have known, but this particular bottle was in no rush to have been drank. I feel it could have held another decade, or longer.
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Red and black cherry, initial funk on the nose, soil notes. A wonderful variety of organic elements on the nose which could be described as decomposing leaves, barnyard, and moist earth; which together underlay but do not overpower the pure fruit notes. Precise on the palate with focused ripe fruit and mineral notes. Smooth with a beautiful finish. A very clean and pristine bottle
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5cm ullage. Not as good as a bottle at Spanish Wimps last year, this is more on a par with a similarly ullaged bottle a couple of years ago. A lovely classic mature Rioja orange peel nose. This has a brightness and freshness that sings. A tenor cf the baritone Monte Real alongside. Cool silk, bright red fruit and a touch of fireside. ****
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This wine was crimson-red with prominent amber/brown hues. The nose was extremely well-integrated. Although it was possible to detect the presence of eucalyptus, cherry, the remnants of oak, and caramel, my impression was similar to that of hearing a chord, rather than perceiving individual notes. On the palate, I tasted: cherry, eucalyptus, tobacco, and Asian spice. The notes were remarkably fresh and vibrant and again, integrated, so that they struck a chord. The tannins were absolutely sublime, fine and chalky, supporting the wine, not cloaking it. There was still ample, mouth-watering acidity and the wine left the mouth with a long, clean finish of cherry and eucalyptus that gradually faded, mouth-watering and chalky, simultaneously. I wonder what this wine will taste like in the future. Right now, it seems middle-aged, with a strong, youthful spirit.
These notes were written approximately 3 hours after decanting. First off, the cork fell apart upon my attempt to open, and I noticed it was wet and spongy, all the way to its center. I smelled/tasted prominent musty funk. And the wine was quite turbid, with a lot of fine sediment. So, I spent some time to pour from one decanter to another and eventually was able to achieve the clear, clean wine that the above notes are based upon. Thankfully, removal of sediment and time given to allow the exchange of gasses, resulted in the dissipation of almost all of the funky characteristics.
In the end, it seems that time has acted upon this wine only to temper the rough edges of immaturity, to allow the integration of things that were once separate, while leaving the beautiful attributes of youth untouched.
4/12/15: 2nd bottle: Very much the same as on 2/21/15. Amber in appearance. Cherry, caramel, Leather nose. Very easy on the palate with same notes. Interestingly, this bottle contained no sediment at all. Wine came out perfectly clear.
(95-97 pts)
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Dark black-amber core with lots of orange-brick fading to rim; sour cherry, intense spiced red fruits, caramel and sweet tobacco; fairly rich mouth, well balanced medium tannins, good acidity; drinking very well right now, this still feels quite young! This has stuffing, is pretty concentrated for its age, and should be paired with braised meats, sauces, stews, etc.
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Spanish WIMPS 'Casa de Pilatos' (La Trompette, London): Nicely mellow. Nose initially not quite as expressive though it picks up and develops quite a nuance with air. Mid garnet. A little muddy initially. Far fresher on the palate. Quite sweet fruited. Just lovely. Multi-faceted. Bare *****
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Aromas de gran potencia, abierto, expresivo, franco, con muy poca sensación reductiva inicial y una intensa sensación de vitalidad. Se presenta con notas de ciruelas maceradas, carne de membrillo, escarchados, especias ahumadas, guindas, licorosos y un fondo de maderas exóticas y cacao en polvo acompañado de un deje balsámico a yedra, salvia. Cada vez más fino y vigoroso con descriptores asociados a los viejos clásicos Viña Real: asoma la confitura de naranja amarga, tabaco inglés, cuero ruso, crin, aceites de tung, linaza... Impecable!!!
Taninos vaporosos, maravillosos, con una textura aterciopelada que contrarrestan el vigor e impetu del conjunto. Corpulento, estructurado, potente, lleno de vida y de una acidez marcada que sostiene toneladas de fruta roja reducida, sensaciones picantes, amargosos y un deje de dulcedumbre de calidad. Entero y en gran forma, especiado, muy largo, confitado en retronasal. Un Viña Real para guardar durante años. Recuerda en casi todo al Viña Real reserva de 1970 aunque menos brillante.
Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 80% tempranillo, 20% garnacha - 13% vol. Permanece durante 12 meses en depósitos de madera hasta finalizar la fermentación maloláctica y reposar antes de pasar a ser trasegado para su posterior crianza. El vino madura durante 36 meses en barricas semi-nuevas de 225 litros, 70% de roble americano y 30% francés. Embotellado en marzo de 1975. Según la cosecha se deja descansar entre 48 y 100 meses en los botelleros de los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado a finales de la década de los 70. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Dinner at Browntrout (Browntrout - Chicago, IL): I was shocked at how young this looked at tasted. Very dark color in the glass made a few of us comment that this was more like a 1991 or 1994! Everything about this was dark and powerful; lots of smoke, plum, berries, and earth. Had great structure and acidity and while no means a Rioja expert, I like the chances of this bottle going another 15-25 years without a problem.
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Year 2 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does Rioja (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): Nose on this is more Bordeaux like: decaying leaves, undergrowth, tobacco, wet wood, saline, sweat, plums, and dark cherries. One of the more rustic wines of the evening. On the palate we have lots of red currant fruit and freshness. Finish is medium.
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Year 2 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does Rioja (Langdon Hall, Blair, Ontario): Nose of sweat, soy, blood....very salty with pure cherry fruit, cedar, leather, spice, and earth...very bordeaux like. The palate showed similar pure dark fruit, cedar and spice. Really surprised this is 40 years old...in such great shape. Long, layered ad textured finish. Great wine.
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Year 2; Tasting 2 of 5; Andrew does Rioja (1954-1994) (Red Room, Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ontario): Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours. Garnet in the glass, with a light brick at the rim. Compared to the Imperial, this was a little more understated, or feminine, perhaps being done a disservice being served next to its more boisterous counterpart. On the nose, sweet cherry fruit, earth, orange rind, mushroom, leather, cured meat, and baking spice. On the palate, medium plus acidity, moderate tannin, with tastes sweet and sour red fruit, earth, baking spice, and citrus fruit. Finishes moderate with a bit of tannic grip. It was interesting to compare Viña Real and Imperial in the same vintage, and for me, the Imperial won out by a reasonable margin.
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Good fill level but cork completely soaked through and disintegrated whilst opening. Very mushroomy at first, but after 15 minutes in a decanter things fell more into balance. Clear rim and tawny colour. A hint of stewed cherries and meat, with a long finish. Based on some 1976 and 1966 I've enjoyed I suspect that this is a slightly sub-par bottle, but it was still plenty enjoyable.
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5cm ullage. Mid garnet. Dense and bright. Typical old VR nose of worn leather, fireside spice and a touch of orange peel. Coolly silky attack, bright red fruit all present and correct and then leather and gentle spice. Lovely. A shade behind a recent 66 and not quite in the same league as good bottles of 62/64/73/76 enjoyed in the last few years, but lovely none-the-less. My first bottle of 70, so not sure whether it's vintage or bottle variation, but given the ullage and the wet-through cork, I'd guess the latter. Either way, a lovely wine. ****
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I purchased 3 of these in March of this year from CSW to celebrate our daughters PhD. We opened two and they were quite different. The first had a mid-high shoulder fill and the cork disintegrated on opening even using my Ah-So cork puller. It was very tired and showing signs of oxidation The second bottle had a low neck fill and I was able to get the cork out in one piece. It was absolutely glorious. I will skip the details as TOOCH, BRADNYC, and PJAINES have all done an excellent job in describing the experience of this wine in peak form.
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Chicago Rotating Host Wine Dinner Series - May 2013 (RPM Italian - Chicago, IL): A beautifully rustic wine that had a distinctly dusty profile. The nose had red fruits and florals that seem to be directly from grandma's basement. Great composition to the palate with lovely rich fruits, earthy undertones, and some leather. Really great.
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Another excellent bottle - in fact we opened two bottles and one was deep and meaty, the other lighter with more pronounced acidity. Tangy metallic palate at first that is totally swamped with coffee notes. This shifts and changes through the evening offering up more herbal notes then more beef stock. Years ahead of it.
The glory of traditional old Rioja: C.V.N.E. Vina Real vertical 1944 - 1978. (Chris and Meredith's.): Probably the best bottle of this that I've had. The wine was just singing. Forward and laying all its cards on the table, there's a beautiful richness and thickness to the texture that none of the other wines showed, but it also showed beautiful harmony and elegance. That said, it seemed clear that this was the most resolved wine of the night and seemed to lack the aging potential of most of the other wines given its comparatively low acidity. Loads of sweet cherry fruit to be found here with spicy old wood, blood and worn leather recliner. Just a classic old Rioja profile, save for a little less citrusy acidic snap on the finish. Beautiful and my WOTN. A/A-.
Tannins are completely gone, but still a nice core of fruit and sufficient acidity to support it. This has been fully mature for years, but should continue to drink well for many more years. Very nice.
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This was very nice. Just not as exciting as the 1950 Rioja on same night.. this took more time to come around.. was a bit harder but on its own would have really shined.
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This is so utterly and stupidly good it should be illegal to sell it for the relatively low price I paid for it. Deep colour and this seems to be just a youngster - incredible shifting nose of beef, cherries, leather, cigars, mushrooms, spices. All billowing out of the glass and evolving and shifting through the evening. At first light, then shifting into deep and soupy and then meaty and then back to whispy again. Brilliant length on the palate. Excellent. Will keep for years.
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TN: Eric Levine comes to NYC. (Beacon Restaurant): From a half bottle. To my surprise, I've found that a number of half bottles of this have been drinking better than 750s. Not this one. The wine showed a strong bitter note and didn't resemble any other bottle that I've had of it. Not corked, but definitely off.
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Nine 1970 Rioja with a Vega Sicilia ringer. (Il Corso): Not the best showing. Indeed a half bottle I opened two weeks prior showed much better. This bottle shows a bit muddy and disjointed and overall not as fresh. There's a good core of fruit and with air a strong coffee note come up as did a mushroom character. Pleasant, but I found myself thinking of the half bottle. B+.
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One of the better showings I've had of this wine and it's from a half bottle to boot! Wonderfully aromatic and just so silky and sexy on the palate. It embodies everything that I like about old, old school Rioja. It shows the typical profile of sweet cherries, worn wood, spice, leather and citrus all within a wonderfully integrated, seductive and evocative package. Solid A-.
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Ancient Rioja (1956 to 1976) (Contigo, San Francisco): Pale with brownish tint. Fragrant with almost candied, roasted fruit and baking spice but also a stalky element. Medium weight but densely packed. Subtle and sinuous despite the sweetness. Becomes more elegant, spicy and airy as it opens. Marvelous wine.
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Let this breathe for a bit, although it's very moreish from the off. A great nose, lots of leather and cherries and light spice. Quite fresh still, but drinking very well, great with food. Lovely, I'd never think it was 40 years old but t will last for a while yet on this showing
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Old School Rioja on Cinco de Mayo. (Il Corso): This, too, is showing quite youthfully. It's not as open and flamboyant as a half bottle I had about a year and a half ago, but is a bit more reserved and showing classic Rioja flavors and aromas of red cherries, earth, leather, worn wood with a hit of orange citrus. The red fruit drives the wine, however. It's sweet and fresh and with air, the wine took on a beautiful silky texture. A/A-.
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Austrian and Spanish Wines on the Fino patio (Fino Restaurant, Austin, Texas): Could this wine possibly be still alive, with the ullage deep, deep into the bottle shoulder? All agreed this wine was in its own world, of well-aged Rioja, with old earth, rustic, hint-of-port, and blood character. For some it was the wine of the salon, calling it complex and aged perfectly. Some found oxidation and plums/prune, with nuttiness, but this did not dominate. The wine had some rich cherry and good tannins, and, well, it was quite unique.
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Dinner with Stephen South: Meyer-Fonne, two Huet, Trimbach, Cune, Jamet & Soldera. (Il Corso): I recently had a half bottle from the same lot as this one, but mine didn't show nearly as well as this did. This was simply off the charts good and a remarkable showing from a half bottle. I couldn't get my nose out of the glass. It was like sitting in an old, well worn leather chair with wooden arms polished over the years by wear, reading a leather-bound book with pressed flowers in it while munching on a bowl of red cherries. Just mesmerizing. On the palate I'm stunned by the vibrancy and sweetness of the cherry fruit. In almost every bottle of this wine, be it from a full or half bottle, the fruit is much more in the background while the leather and dusty earth notes are more prominent. It's just the opposite here. The fruit is just astounding. Wonderfully balanced and just really singing. Bravo! Solid A to A+/A.
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From half bottle with a great fill. Shows a beautiful, pure garnet color. Aromatically it was initially dominated by a more tertiary, leather and worn wood profile, but after open in the glass an hour or two, a beautiful desiccated red fruit/caramelized sugar sweetness arose. On the palate it shows both freshness as well as a structure that’s tiring. There’s some upfront strawberry/cherry fruit with plenty sandalwood and leather flavors. A touch of VA and some fade on the finish. Quite satisfying. Call it a B+ from the half bottle, though 750’s should undoubtedly show fresher.
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Wow, just an exceptional, young-tasting wine. This was a perfect bottle from Arzak's cellar. Still some structure there, but secondary and tertiary flavors made this incredibly complex. Earth, tobacco, red fruits, everything you would want out of an older Rioja. This will last decades.
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Extreme funk that blew off somewhat as it sat in the decanter. The strong mocha/coffee notes remind of 1953 Marques de Riscal. This got better and better with more air time but still not nearly as good as the '70 Imperial Gran Riserva
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10/28/2023 - cct wrote: 95 Points
Double decanted in the AM. Drunk over a few hours at dinner
At first, tobacco, asphalt and deep dark fruits on the nose. With air time it gains in both he nose and the palate, adding nuance and more layers. Florals, more dark fruits, and savory ferrous notes emerge. This continues to grow int he glass over a few hours with the last glass the best. Meaty, mushroom savory notes come to the fore with time. A complex, deep serious wine drinking at peak with plenty of time in hand. Outstanding. 95
A terrific pairing with a rosemary and oregano braised pork shoulder with polenta.
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4/23/2023 - Peter Spijker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully soaked crumbly cork, -2cm fill level... this wine had me worried. But Rioja showed itself indestructible once again. This was still ruby (with a garnet rim) in the glass, and needed a few minutes to unfurl. After that, it showed intense cherry, strawberry, blueberry, some tea, a touch of vanilla, leather, oak and integrated tannins. This was intense, and stayed on its feet (easily) until the last drop. If you have a good bottle, this is drinking at its peak now (depending on your preference obviously)!
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3/10/2023 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful bouquet, still a hint of strawberry fruit, fully mature, stewed tea, this is a great bottle and a bit of history.
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3/1/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 96 Points
Earth; cherry and light licorice; vibrant; sweet finish.
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12/22/2021 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 94 Points
In perfect condition - shining
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12/5/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 88 Points
Initially leather, strawberry, licorice and complex; became thick and simple; sweet finish.
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11/19/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earth, violets. raisin and vanilla nose; textured; blackberry-blueberry; sweet long finish.
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2/16/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sweet blackberry with leather and tar nose; supple; deep sweet blackberry; earthy and complex; long finish.
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1/10/2021 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
Nose: A- Palate: B++
My #3, Group's #2 (48 pts). Tasted blind.
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10/26/2020 - acidqueen wrote: 94 Points
This is a great wine, and this bottle was in the same league as last one four years ago. I am moving across country and pulled this to drink before we left the house, but ended up drinking it at the hotel we had to stay at because our house was in boxes! All this in the way of saying that the normal pouring, decanting and such went out the window. Due to COVID the hotel wouldn’t bring a wine decanter to the room with our room service, but they did bring some coffee filters which turned out to be very useful. The cork was utterly saturated and crumbled completely. I didn’t have the Durand due to the move or it would have been different, but I did manage to pull most of the deteriorated cork out leaving only a few chunks, and the coffee filter did the rest.
Wine tasted of coffee, leather, dark berry, earth, toast, with sweet herbal acidity. A short decant would have been nice but still a winner without it.
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7/25/2020 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
A small gathering with COVID safety measures at Bryan's (Undisclosed location in McLean, VA): Medium expressive nose displaying slightly lean black fruit, black cherry, a hint of plum, roasted nuts, American oak and earth. Fully integrated palate, finely layered slightly lean black fruit, silky and polished, medium acidity and medium mineral, and a medium to long black fruit driven finish with American oak at the end. Drinking nicely but no need to wait.
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1/13/2020 - kevin h wrote: 88 Points
Still some redcurrant fruit but heading into one dimensional decline. About 10 years on the downslope. Needs drinking though no doubt there will be bottle variation.
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1/11/2020 - baroloboy55 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great showing by this bottle. High shoulder fill. The cork was completely soaked but no seepage. Double decanted for sediment in the morning and the wine had very good color, very little hits of brown and a pure sweet tempranillo nose, if a bit restrained, Had this been an old Barolo where I have more experience, i'd not have been at all concerned. Enjoyed at dinner about 12 hours later and the wine was beautiful, the color had held but the wine had picked up some weight. And the initial impressions the same, but with more weight and a greater sense of confidence that this wine was in no danger of falling over the cliff. Just a lovely, lovely expression of graceful fully mature tempranillo., Hope my remaining bottles show so well.
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10/6/2018 - petitblanc wrote: flawed
Yet Another Dinner with José (Biaggi's Naperville): Ample old seepage. Dead and gone.
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8/1/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
'02 Musar at the Morris (The Morris, SF): Dilly! Medium body, dried cherry, dried orange. Elevated acid. Soft melted tannins - still a bit drying. Slight Brett. Very nice.
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7/20/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mix of red and brown color. Some bricking. Wine needed time to blow off but after an hour of so was quite nice. Aged fruit which gained weight in the glass. Red berries, complex, good acidity, tannins are there but integrated. I thought this was good and others felt it was amazing. Many peoples WOTN whereas I felt it was solid and drinking well.
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12/20/2017 - ansett Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Just wow. Interesting smells of tobacco on the nose and almost 'funk' when opened.. this disappeared quickly when decanted. Tasted this immediately upon pouring and knew we were in for something special.
Decanted and sampled over 2 hours before the primary pours. Flavours of strawberry tart, chocolate and something between vanilla and carmel.
Light, transparent ruby colour.
Enjoyed with a sous vide tomahawk steak, buttered mushrooms and roast vegetables.
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12/17/2017 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Almost Musar-Like on the nose and palate...it's quite possible that in a blind tasting I could have been challenged with this wine. Scents of an oil-stained cement floor, clove, orange-rind, floral notes, and potpourri. The palate is awash in black cherry, fig, kirsch, and a bright strawberry note that lasts on the finish. Medium body, medium acidity, med tannin, and a freshness of fruit that seems like this could last another 10+ years with good storage. What a lovely and graceful wine...brilliant!
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9/10/2017 - AV2012 wrote: 91 Points
A proper aged Vina Real with the typical softer feel to it. Silky with great aromatics. I would drink them up if you have any left.
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7/14/2017 - scamhi wrote: flawed
cork was loose and hard on top and fell into the bottle. Wine was off. brown color
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4/21/2017 - Periko Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding bottle. Brownish rim. Typical nose with underbrush, cigar box and tobacco. High acidity with dried fruit makes up a phenomenal palate.
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3/31/2017 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 95 Points
My Birthday Dinner (Seasons By Olivier E., 3/F, Two Lee Gardens, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong): Opened several hours then decanted a further hour before serving with wondrous steaks flown in from Paris.
Transparent bright red cherry colour. Nose is earthy, very earthy and black cherry....beautiful. Palate has an immediately sharp, fresh acidity combined with a Bordeaux earthy and mushroomy grounded-ness. Very deep bass-tone resonance inside the head and really long high-toned reverberance on the finale. Fantastic!
Too beautiful to worry about nerdy details but I think this was only bottled c.15 years ago. It shared much in uncompromising old-world and still world-class winemaking with the Ch. Musar 1991 that preceded it.
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12/31/2016 - acidqueen wrote: 95 Points
Perfect now but will hold. Sweet, pretty American oak, with earthy humus nose. Nice lift and balance. Better than the 1970 Imperial GR and will last longer.
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6/4/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good but not great bottle. Lacked depth of funk of the best bottles
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3/26/2016 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 93 Points
I was shocked at how young this looked and tasted. The color is blackberry red. Very dark for a wine it's age. Not too developed and zero deterioration. I could swear this is an '89 or a '91. You can feel the power on the first sip. Very round and potent. Plum, blackberry, cigarbox and earth. There's enough acid to give it structure but it feels fat and hollow. Like an empty or half-filled chocolate truffle. And I think it is that, which won't let me rate it higher. Overall, this has come together tremendously well for a 46 year old wine. It must be at peak now but looks so young I'd consider aging a few years more. But it's just so deliciously good now. Drink Now-2026.
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3/24/2016 - texanoblues Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep red with orange/amber hues and perfectly clear in the glass. Highly aromatic with prominent eucalyptus and cedar, blackberry, plum and cherry fruit in the background. Everything clean and crystal clear. No funk or unpleasant odors. What a nose! Everything promised by the bouquet was delivered to the palate. Full, intense, and clean. I'm thoroughly amazed by how much fruit remains in this bottle. Beyond smooth, long cedar, cherry finish.
This was the last of four bottles, and by far was the best. Why is it that the last has to be the best? Temptation?
No way to have known, but this particular bottle was in no rush to have been drank. I feel it could have held another decade, or longer.
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12/22/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red and black cherry, initial funk on the nose, soil notes. A wonderful variety of organic elements on the nose which could be described as decomposing leaves, barnyard, and moist earth; which together underlay but do not overpower the pure fruit notes. Precise on the palate with focused ripe fruit and mineral notes. Smooth with a beautiful finish. A very clean and pristine bottle
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11/20/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rather austere. Red fruit, light dusty soil tones, faint cedar and savory herbs. Rather thin on the backpalate even after a 1.5 hour decant.
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11/13/2015 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
5cm ullage. Not as good as a bottle at Spanish Wimps last year, this is more on a par with a similarly ullaged bottle a couple of years ago. A lovely classic mature Rioja orange peel nose. This has a brightness and freshness that sings. A tenor cf the baritone Monte Real alongside. Cool silk, bright red fruit and a touch of fireside. ****
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6/11/2015 - kingkanu wrote: flawed
Tastes slightly cooked, not great
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5/23/2015 - AtoZ wrote:
Low fill. Nice bottle of old wine drinking very nicely. Grilled lamb.
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4/25/2015 - AtoZ wrote:
Low fill and crumbly cork and great bottle of wine! Probably 20 years left. Very clean with no funk. Worked with grilled steak.
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2/21/2015 - texanoblues Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine was crimson-red with prominent amber/brown hues. The nose was extremely well-integrated. Although it was possible to detect the presence of eucalyptus, cherry, the remnants of oak, and caramel, my impression was similar to that of hearing a chord, rather than perceiving individual notes. On the palate, I tasted: cherry, eucalyptus, tobacco, and Asian spice. The notes were remarkably fresh and vibrant and again, integrated, so that they struck a chord. The tannins were absolutely sublime, fine and chalky, supporting the wine, not cloaking it. There was still ample, mouth-watering acidity and the wine left the mouth with a long, clean finish of cherry and eucalyptus that gradually faded, mouth-watering and chalky, simultaneously. I wonder what this wine will taste like in the future. Right now, it seems middle-aged, with a strong, youthful spirit.
These notes were written approximately 3 hours after decanting. First off, the cork fell apart upon my attempt to open, and I noticed it was wet and spongy, all the way to its center. I smelled/tasted prominent musty funk. And the wine was quite turbid, with a lot of fine sediment. So, I spent some time to pour from one decanter to another and eventually was able to achieve the clear, clean wine that the above notes are based upon. Thankfully, removal of sediment and time given to allow the exchange of gasses, resulted in the dissipation of almost all of the funky characteristics.
In the end, it seems that time has acted upon this wine only to temper the rough edges of immaturity, to allow the integration of things that were once separate, while leaving the beautiful attributes of youth untouched.
4/12/15: 2nd bottle: Very much the same as on 2/21/15. Amber in appearance. Cherry, caramel, Leather nose. Very easy on the palate with same notes. Interestingly, this bottle contained no sediment at all. Wine came out perfectly clear.
(95-97 pts)
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9/14/2014 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Dark black-amber core with lots of orange-brick fading to rim; sour cherry, intense spiced red fruits, caramel and sweet tobacco; fairly rich mouth, well balanced medium tannins, good acidity; drinking very well right now, this still feels quite young! This has stuffing, is pretty concentrated for its age, and should be paired with braised meats, sauces, stews, etc.
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9/7/2014 - mike l. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Exceptional integration and right in it's window but looked so young in the glass you'd be tempted to let it age another 20 years just for kicks.
Yet this wasn't stunning
It didn't do whatever it needed to do to push it into that realm of 95+
Still blows the socks off whatever paso napa cab Syrah whatever I've been drinking
But at 300+?
Ya know, it's fine
(By the bottle at providence.)
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8/29/2014 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points
Spanish WIMPS 'Casa de Pilatos' (La Trompette, London): Nicely mellow. Nose initially not quite as expressive though it picks up and develops quite a nuance with air. Mid garnet. A little muddy initially. Far fresher on the palate. Quite sweet fruited. Just lovely. Multi-faceted. Bare *****
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7/17/2014 - cabber wrote: 97 Points
Rioja v. Barolo (Manhattan Beach, CA): Complex, cherries, tar. Elegant with power. Just great. This was our WOTN.
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3/14/2014 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 92 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/vina-real-1970-gran-reserva.html
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De color rubí rojizo de capa media-alta, muy estable, reflejos rojizos y granatosos, brillante, limpio. Borde atejado, amplio, con mucho contraste con el menisco.
Aromas de gran potencia, abierto, expresivo, franco, con muy poca sensación reductiva inicial y una intensa sensación de vitalidad. Se presenta con notas de ciruelas maceradas, carne de membrillo, escarchados, especias ahumadas, guindas, licorosos y un fondo de maderas exóticas y cacao en polvo acompañado de un deje balsámico a yedra, salvia. Cada vez más fino y vigoroso con descriptores asociados a los viejos clásicos Viña Real: asoma la confitura de naranja amarga, tabaco inglés, cuero ruso, crin, aceites de tung, linaza... Impecable!!!
Taninos vaporosos, maravillosos, con una textura aterciopelada que contrarrestan el vigor e impetu del conjunto. Corpulento, estructurado, potente, lleno de vida y de una acidez marcada que sostiene toneladas de fruta roja reducida, sensaciones picantes, amargosos y un deje de dulcedumbre de calidad. Entero y en gran forma, especiado, muy largo, confitado en retronasal. Un Viña Real para guardar durante años. Recuerda en casi todo al Viña Real reserva de 1970 aunque menos brillante.
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80% tempranillo, 20% garnacha - 13% vol.
Permanece durante 12 meses en depósitos de madera hasta finalizar la fermentación maloláctica y reposar antes de pasar a ser trasegado para su posterior crianza. El vino madura durante 36 meses en barricas semi-nuevas de 225 litros, 70% de roble americano y 30% francés. Embotellado en marzo de 1975. Según la cosecha se deja descansar entre 48 y 100 meses en los botelleros de los calados de la bodega antes de ser comercializado a finales de la década de los 70.
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3/6/2014 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Dinner at Browntrout (Browntrout - Chicago, IL): I was shocked at how young this looked at tasted. Very dark color in the glass made a few of us comment that this was more like a 1991 or 1994! Everything about this was dark and powerful; lots of smoke, plum, berries, and earth. Had great structure and acidity and while no means a Rioja expert, I like the chances of this bottle going another 15-25 years without a problem.
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2/8/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
Year 2 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does Rioja (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): Nose on this is more Bordeaux like: decaying leaves, undergrowth, tobacco, wet wood, saline, sweat, plums, and dark cherries. One of the more rustic wines of the evening. On the palate we have lots of red currant fruit and freshness. Finish is medium.
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2/8/2014 - Dave Canada wrote: 94 Points
Year 2 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does Rioja (Langdon Hall, Blair, Ontario): Nose of sweat, soy, blood....very salty with pure cherry fruit, cedar, leather, spice, and earth...very bordeaux like.
The palate showed similar pure dark fruit, cedar and spice. Really surprised this is 40 years old...in such great shape.
Long, layered ad textured finish. Great wine.
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2/8/2014 - alittle wrote: 93 Points
Year 2; Tasting 2 of 5; Andrew does Rioja (1954-1994) (Red Room, Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ontario): Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours. Garnet in the glass, with a light brick at the rim. Compared to the Imperial, this was a little more understated, or feminine, perhaps being done a disservice being served next to its more boisterous counterpart. On the nose, sweet cherry fruit, earth, orange rind, mushroom, leather, cured meat, and baking spice. On the palate, medium plus acidity, moderate tannin, with tastes sweet and sour red fruit, earth, baking spice, and citrus fruit. Finishes moderate with a bit of tannic grip. It was interesting to compare Viña Real and Imperial in the same vintage, and for me, the Imperial won out by a reasonable margin.
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11/29/2013 - empire80 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good fill level but cork completely soaked through and disintegrated whilst opening. Very mushroomy at first, but after 15 minutes in a decanter things fell more into balance. Clear rim and tawny colour. A hint of stewed cherries and meat, with a long finish. Based on some 1976 and 1966 I've enjoyed I suspect that this is a slightly sub-par bottle, but it was still plenty enjoyable.
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11/9/2013 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
5cm ullage. Mid garnet. Dense and bright. Typical old VR nose of worn leather, fireside spice and a touch of orange peel. Coolly silky attack, bright red fruit all present and correct and then leather and gentle spice. Lovely. A shade behind a recent 66 and not quite in the same league as good bottles of 62/64/73/76 enjoyed in the last few years, but lovely none-the-less. My first bottle of 70, so not sure whether it's vintage or bottle variation, but given the ullage and the wet-through cork, I'd guess the latter. Either way, a lovely wine. ****
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7/20/2013 - presterjohn wrote:
meaty, earthy texture, very old fruit in abundance, very savoury and gulpable but wd have been more interesting 10 yrs ago.
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6/27/2013 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 93 Points
I purchased 3 of these in March of this year from CSW to celebrate our daughters PhD. We opened two and they were quite different. The first had a mid-high shoulder fill and the cork disintegrated on opening even using my Ah-So cork puller. It was very tired and showing signs of oxidation
The second bottle had a low neck fill and I was able to get the cork out in one piece. It was absolutely glorious. I will skip the details as TOOCH, BRADNYC, and PJAINES have all done an excellent job in describing the experience of this wine in peak form.
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5/14/2013 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Chicago Rotating Host Wine Dinner Series - May 2013 (RPM Italian - Chicago, IL): A beautifully rustic wine that had a distinctly dusty profile. The nose had red fruits and florals that seem to be directly from grandma's basement. Great composition to the palate with lovely rich fruits, earthy undertones, and some leather. Really great.
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4/14/2013 - pjaines Likes this wine:
Another excellent bottle - in fact we opened two bottles and one was deep and meaty, the other lighter with more pronounced acidity. Tangy metallic palate at first that is totally swamped with coffee notes. This shifts and changes through the evening offering up more herbal notes then more beef stock. Years ahead of it.
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4/8/2013 - BradKNYC wrote:
The glory of traditional old Rioja: C.V.N.E. Vina Real vertical 1944 - 1978. (Chris and Meredith's.): Probably the best bottle of this that I've had. The wine was just singing. Forward and laying all its cards on the table, there's a beautiful richness and thickness to the texture that none of the other wines showed, but it also showed beautiful harmony and elegance. That said, it seemed clear that this was the most resolved wine of the night and seemed to lack the aging potential of most of the other wines given its comparatively low acidity. Loads of sweet cherry fruit to be found here with spicy old wood, blood and worn leather recliner. Just a classic old Rioja profile, save for a little less citrusy acidic snap on the finish. Beautiful and my WOTN. A/A-.
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1/13/2013 - 60ouvrees wrote:
Tannins are completely gone, but still a nice core of fruit and sufficient acidity to support it. This has been fully mature for years, but should continue to drink well for many more years. Very nice.
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12/31/2012 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
This was very nice. Just not as exciting as the 1950 Rioja on same night.. this took more time to come around.. was a bit harder but on its own would have really shined.
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10/22/2012 - presterjohn wrote:
Beautiful perfume quickly fades into very old fruit, elegant, tasty and leathery. Drink up
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10/19/2012 - pjaines wrote:
This is so utterly and stupidly good it should be illegal to sell it for the relatively low price I paid for it. Deep colour and this seems to be just a youngster - incredible shifting nose of beef, cherries, leather, cigars, mushrooms, spices. All billowing out of the glass and evolving and shifting through the evening. At first light, then shifting into deep and soupy and then meaty and then back to whispy again. Brilliant length on the palate. Excellent. Will keep for years.
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10/9/2012 - presterjohn wrote:
Beautiful, vibrant, very much alive
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12/28/2011 - BradKNYC wrote: flawed
TN: Eric Levine comes to NYC. (Beacon Restaurant): From a half bottle. To my surprise, I've found that a number of half bottles of this have been drinking better than 750s. Not this one. The wine showed a strong bitter note and didn't resemble any other bottle that I've had of it. Not corked, but definitely off.
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10/5/2011 - BradKNYC wrote:
Nine 1970 Rioja with a Vega Sicilia ringer. (Il Corso): Not the best showing. Indeed a half bottle I opened two weeks prior showed much better. This bottle shows a bit muddy and disjointed and overall not as fresh. There's a good core of fruit and with air a strong coffee note come up as did a mushroom character. Pleasant, but I found myself thinking of the half bottle. B+.
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9/24/2011 - BradKNYC wrote:
One of the better showings I've had of this wine and it's from a half bottle to boot! Wonderfully aromatic and just so silky and sexy on the palate. It embodies everything that I like about old, old school Rioja. It shows the typical profile of sweet cherries, worn wood, spice, leather and citrus all within a wonderfully integrated, seductive and evocative package. Solid A-.
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9/12/2011 - Le Musigny wrote:
Very good bottle that is mature but has plenty of life ahead. This is a good reason to drink Rioja's .
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6/21/2011 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Rioja through the Decades (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Powerfull for an old rioja. Strength and some tannin. Not memorable hence the small note.. 89 at best
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6/1/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Ancient Rioja (1956 to 1976) (Contigo, San Francisco): Pale with brownish tint. Fragrant with almost candied, roasted fruit and baking spice but also a stalky element. Medium weight but densely packed. Subtle and sinuous despite the sweetness. Becomes more elegant, spicy and airy as it opens. Marvelous wine.
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5/21/2011 - kingkanu wrote: 92 Points
Let this breathe for a bit, although it's very moreish from the off. A great nose, lots of leather and cherries and light spice. Quite fresh still, but drinking very well, great with food. Lovely, I'd never think it was 40 years old but t will last for a while yet on this showing
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5/5/2011 - BradKNYC wrote:
Old School Rioja on Cinco de Mayo. (Il Corso): This, too, is showing quite youthfully. It's not as open and flamboyant as a half bottle I had about a year and a half ago, but is a bit more reserved and showing classic Rioja flavors and aromas of red cherries, earth, leather, worn wood with a hit of orange citrus. The red fruit drives the wine, however. It's sweet and fresh and with air, the wine took on a beautiful silky texture. A/A-.
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11/14/2010 - austinwinesalon wrote:
Austrian and Spanish Wines on the Fino patio (Fino Restaurant, Austin, Texas): Could this wine possibly be still alive, with the ullage deep, deep into the bottle shoulder? All agreed this wine was in its own world, of well-aged Rioja, with old earth, rustic, hint-of-port, and blood character. For some it was the wine of the salon, calling it complex and aged perfectly. Some found oxidation and plums/prune, with nuttiness, but this did not dominate. The wine had some rich cherry and good tannins, and, well, it was quite unique.
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9/24/2009 - BradKNYC wrote:
Dinner with Stephen South: Meyer-Fonne, two Huet, Trimbach, Cune, Jamet & Soldera. (Il Corso): I recently had a half bottle from the same lot as this one, but mine didn't show nearly as well as this did. This was simply off the charts good and a remarkable showing from a half bottle. I couldn't get my nose out of the glass. It was like sitting in an old, well worn leather chair with wooden arms polished over the years by wear, reading a leather-bound book with pressed flowers in it while munching on a bowl of red cherries. Just mesmerizing. On the palate I'm stunned by the vibrancy and sweetness of the cherry fruit. In almost every bottle of this wine, be it from a full or half bottle, the fruit is much more in the background while the leather and dusty earth notes are more prominent. It's just the opposite here. The fruit is just astounding. Wonderfully balanced and just really singing. Bravo! Solid A to A+/A.
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12/26/2008 - BradKNYC wrote:
From half bottle with a great fill. Shows a beautiful, pure garnet color. Aromatically it was initially dominated by a more tertiary, leather and worn wood profile, but after open in the glass an hour or two, a beautiful desiccated red fruit/caramelized sugar sweetness arose. On the palate it shows both freshness as well as a structure that’s tiring. There’s some upfront strawberry/cherry fruit with plenty sandalwood and leather flavors. A touch of VA and some fade on the finish. Quite satisfying. Call it a B+ from the half bottle, though 750’s should undoubtedly show fresher.
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9/19/2008 - rc@ughey wrote: 95 Points
Wow, just an exceptional, young-tasting wine. This was a perfect bottle from Arzak's cellar. Still some structure there, but secondary and tertiary flavors made this incredibly complex. Earth, tobacco, red fruits, everything you would want out of an older Rioja. This will last decades.
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9/22/2007 - 60ouvrees wrote:
Extreme funk that blew off somewhat as it sat in the decanter. The strong mocha/coffee notes remind of 1953 Marques de Riscal. This got better and better with more air time but still not nearly as good as the '70 Imperial Gran Riserva
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