This wasn't at the level of the 2007 I had last year, but it's still full of character and there's a definite uptick in expressiveness to show for the 3 or 4 years I've had it in the cellar. It doesn't actually taste any older or deeper, but it's so sandy and crisp and full of seashells it tastes like you're drinking the beach.
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Relaxed dinner with old wine/anesthesia mentor (Reno, NV): While the Condrieu of the night was in the big and bold camp... this wine is in the fine and subtle camp. As per previous notes it is a mildly aromatic nose with very light fruit intensity, high minerality, plenty of acidity and fineness. "Very good" wine in a very firm and focused style.
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Dark in color, mildly aromatic with plenty of mineral, stone notes in the forefront with background citrus, herbal notes... no oak notes. On the palate the wine is dry, has high acidity, minimal phenolics, low ETOH and low to moderate weight. Wine is on the firm side of the balance spectrum, average length, good intensity, decent length. Certainly has finesse, a fine and firmish texture, good expression of place. If you are looking for minerality, firmness, and focus in an albarino, this is a good bet... not exactly the most 'friendly' albarino out there. Very good to excellent wine IMO that is at its peak and about as good as albarino gets in this style.
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An incredibly interesting wine with tons of character. I had this in 2008, and since then it's developed a lot of complexity. Definitely has that briny element, with lots of minerals, stone, etc. An amazing Albarino and one of the best wines of the year so far for me.
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Waxy, intense minerality, full-bodied and smoky. Didn't lose anything decanting overnight. interesting, but perhaps trying too hard to be something more than a si,mple Albarino.
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A classy Albarino from very old vines, I'm told. Horse manure was the first impression on the nostrils! Definitely an earthy, farmyardy edge to it. Supped with Galician octopus at JB's Spanish tasting to give a fantastically evocative gastronomic memory! Loved it.
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Really powerful saline/mineral/sea-shell meets kaffir lime, meets Buddha's hand lemon nose. Piercing and powerful aromatics. The mouth is laser-like and focused. Shells, citrus and minerals with just the right amount of texture. Really great wine for a relative steal. This has nothing to do with 95% of what is sold as albarino, so completely on another level of precision and complexity. thought-provoking and wonderfully delicious stuff.
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With Wivian, enjoying some shrimps in cognac with onions and fried almonds in olive oil. Fragrances of white fruit mature and fleshy with fresh soothing. Powerful! silky and fresh. Elegant: citrius and hay.
Aromas de fruta blanca madura y carnosa con frescos balsámicos. Potente, con un sápido y largo postgusto. Limones y heno. Poderoso y elegante.
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Leaner, milder, and arguably purer than the 2005, but I think that vintage had more going on. This one is more straightforward although maybe a more ideal example of what this wine is supposed to be with its sandy-shore minerality and sour, tequila-inflected fruit.
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Good weight in the glass with aromas of cotton candy, fresh cut grass and herbs. Medium bodied wine, less acidic than the Ulacia and more of a smooth finish that gives some acidity. foodandwineblog.com
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2/15/2013 - unrelenting wrote: 88 Points
Decent balance but displeasing vegetal quality
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12/4/2012 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wasn't at the level of the 2007 I had last year, but it's still full of character and there's a definite uptick in expressiveness to show for the 3 or 4 years I've had it in the cellar. It doesn't actually taste any older or deeper, but it's so sandy and crisp and full of seashells it tastes like you're drinking the beach.
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7/13/2010 - markjanes wrote:
Relaxed dinner with old wine/anesthesia mentor (Reno, NV): While the Condrieu of the night was in the big and bold camp... this wine is in the fine and subtle camp. As per previous notes it is a mildly aromatic nose with very light fruit intensity, high minerality, plenty of acidity and fineness. "Very good" wine in a very firm and focused style.
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6/17/2010 - markjanes wrote: 88 Points
Identical notes to previous tasting...
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4/2/2010 - markjanes wrote: 88 Points
Dark in color, mildly aromatic with plenty of mineral, stone notes in the forefront with background citrus, herbal notes... no oak notes. On the palate the wine is dry, has high acidity, minimal phenolics, low ETOH and low to moderate weight. Wine is on the firm side of the balance spectrum, average length, good intensity, decent length. Certainly has finesse, a fine and firmish texture, good expression of place. If you are looking for minerality, firmness, and focus in an albarino, this is a good bet... not exactly the most 'friendly' albarino out there. Very good to excellent wine IMO that is at its peak and about as good as albarino gets in this style.
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3/15/2010 - MJHDC wrote:
An incredibly interesting wine with tons of character. I had this in 2008, and since then it's developed a lot of complexity. Definitely has that briny element, with lots of minerals, stone, etc. An amazing Albarino and one of the best wines of the year so far for me.
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3/4/2010 - mmrmag wrote: 86 Points
Waxy, intense minerality, full-bodied and smoky. Didn't lose anything decanting overnight. interesting, but perhaps trying too hard to be something more than a si,mple Albarino.
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9/27/2009 - MikeKlein wrote:
Just superb and this has, if anything, deepened and improved since my last tasting last year. This is simply the best albarino out there.
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11/9/2008 - tonyvelebil wrote:
Jason Brandt Lewis Hits The Speed Limit: Lots of blind and interesting wines inc Equinox, Westport Rivers, Tablas Creek, Do Ferreiro, etc (JBL & Lynne's pad - Berkeley Hills): This bottle rocked. Citrus fruit -lemon/lime, seashell, minerals galore, rich but laser crisp at the same time. I saw JBL from across the room, slip me the thumbs up sign for this one. A real treat.
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10/24/2008 - Rick Hall wrote:
A classy Albarino from very old vines, I'm told. Horse manure was the first impression on the nostrils! Definitely an earthy, farmyardy edge to it. Supped with Galician octopus at JB's Spanish tasting to give a fantastically evocative gastronomic memory! Loved it.
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7/26/2008 - nwk wrote:
Really powerful saline/mineral/sea-shell meets kaffir lime, meets Buddha's hand lemon nose. Piercing and powerful aromatics. The mouth is laser-like and focused. Shells, citrus and minerals with just the right amount of texture. Really great wine for a relative steal. This has nothing to do with 95% of what is sold as albarino, so completely on another level of precision and complexity. thought-provoking and wonderfully delicious stuff.
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5/23/2008 - Harley1199 wrote:
With Wivian, enjoying some shrimps in cognac with onions and fried almonds in olive oil. Fragrances of white fruit mature and fleshy with fresh soothing. Powerful! silky and fresh. Elegant: citrius and hay.
Aromas de fruta blanca madura y carnosa con frescos balsámicos. Potente, con un sápido y largo postgusto. Limones y heno. Poderoso y elegante.
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4/29/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 88 Points
Leaner, milder, and arguably purer than the 2005, but I think that vintage had more going on. This one is more straightforward although maybe a more ideal example of what this wine is supposed to be with its sandy-shore minerality and sour, tequila-inflected fruit.
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3/26/2008 - foodandwineblog wrote: 87 Points
Good weight in the glass with aromas of cotton candy, fresh cut grass and herbs. Medium bodied wine, less acidic than the Ulacia and more of a smooth finish that gives some acidity. foodandwineblog.com
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3/7/2008 - EhrlichDY wrote: 90 Points
Extremely floral nose. Concentrated, unctuous wine with nice fruit and almond flavors. Really nice stuff.
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