This is a powerful wine that I would compare favorably to any Bordeaux. Dark red. Well integrated with red fruits, earth, and some spice. Long elegant finish. Beautiful with grilled steaks. Wish I had more!
Years have done this wine very well. Still tastes fresh and youthful, But definitely in its prime.. Modern styled and lush red fruit, but not over the top. Good balance, and soft long finish.
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• Score: 5 • Drink: Keep or drink • A gloomy, wet start to the harvest turned into perfect weather for beautifully balanced, fine, classic Rioja. (Decanter Magazine 2022)
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This wine is not stylistically right, and is more similar to Ribera del Duero wines, BUT from the stand point of wine quality, it is off the charts. Dark ruby red to Garnet color. Extremely pleasant and expressive bouquet. Focused flavors with lush, and ripe fruit, yet has the solid structure of the old world wines. Full bodied and balanced. Long length and pleasant finish. Has delicious factor. Checks all the boxes! Paired very well with grilled lamb lion with onion and saffron.
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An old-vine Rioja from 40-60 yo vines growing in 5,3-hectare vineyard Pago El Rincón, located at the altitude of 490 meters a.s.l. Mainly Tempranillo (85-90%) with some Graciano. Fermented in tronconic oak vats, aged for two years in new French oak barriques. 14% alcohol. Bottled in a ludicrous bottle that stills weighs 1,35 kg when it's completely empty.
Somewhat translucent, deep yet not dark black cherry color. Big, brooding and rather dark-toned nose with somewhat sweet-toned aromas of toasty oak spice, ripe dark plums, some earthy tones, a little bit of sweet blueberry juice, light notes of mocha coffee, a hint of allspice and a touch of pipe tobacco. Rich, full-bodied and rather extracted on the palate with bold, dark-toned flavors of ripe dark plums, some sour cherries, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, light sweet notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of farmhouse funk and a touch of sweet blueberries. Although very big, the wine comes across as enjoyably structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is lively, rich and moderately grippy with juicy and somewhat oaky finish with flavors of ripe dark plums and slightly wizened dark berries, some chocolatey cocoa oak, a little bit of earth, light sweet notes of toasted wood, a hint of new leather and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A big, extracted and quite international wine. Not particularly "Rioja" in style, but still sits firmly in the stylistic spectrum of modern, oak-forward Tempranillo. If served blind, I would've placed this happily in Ribera del Duero. Nevertheless, for such a big blockbuster, I found the wine rather balanced and enjoyable for what it is. For many people this was the wine of the evening, but for me it was way too big, ripe and oaky. Nevertheless, the high quality and sense of balance is certainly there. The wine shows surprisingly little age for one clocking at +15 years of age, so I can imagine this will continue to improve for many years more. If you know you're expecting a modern bruiser and not a traditional Rioja red, this is actually relatively good an effort.
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The tempting nose is full of promise of a classy wine, the palate fulfils the promise with rich ripe fruit and intensity, on the palate there is cherries, plums and tobacco, the lovely floral lilac and purple fruit flauvors make this a claret type classy wine, tannins are in the right place and oak is present but not overtly so, this is an outstanding wine which is drinking perfectly now.
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spectacular wine that remained wonderful over 3 days. Popped and poured thru vinturi and into a large glass. improved over two hours. Very well intergrated, with fruit and terroir and well resolved tannins. Full bodied. TM at Robert Parker nailed it.
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Non decanted, the wine opened up nicely. Fruit and tannins in good balance. Enjoyed the wine with a nice Indian dinner and it held up well. Dark fruits, soft tannins and heavenly on the nose. A good time to enjoy and at its peak now.
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The oak and ethanol were the main players here. Hard to find any balance. This does drink very young. I seemed to have liked this 8 years ago, according to a note, but way out of my wheelhouse these days.
Now I’m going to rent a forklift to dispose of this bottle.
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Slow O’d for a couple of hours. At the beginning of its prime drinking window, IMO. Somewhat grippy tannins, red and blue fruits. Stood up well to bibimbap with sriracha, which is saying something. Delicious.
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Wow it's a heavy bottle, really. Incredibly youthful wine @14. Pronounced acidity balances out wood treatment. There is no sweetness. Will keep other bottle for a long time to see how it will develop, I think it can do another 14 easily.
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Popped and poured, followed over two hours with a meal of Jerked Chicken. My first of four bottles: this is certainly in its drinking window, but seems as though it could stand a bit more evolution. The bottle is so ridiculously big and heavy for a .750 that one expects a bigger, heavier wine, but this is, after all, a Tempranillo, and the grape only goes so far in that direction. I like this a lot but wanted to like it more. Very solid, and quite good, but not a Wow wine for me. Like all Tempranillos, great with food, and it stood up equally well to the spicy meat and the creamy roast Yukon Gold potatoes. Drink or hold.
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1.3 kilogram bottle (WTF???) tells you all you need to know - this is good fruit in a shiny package that's trying way too hard. Very dark, smelling of fine oak and plummy fruit, with no individuality. I guess it tastes fine, but it's not Rioja, it's a lump.
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Last of 6 bottles that I have been drinking now for 6 years. Purple with clear rim now emerging and some fine sediment as well. Nice minerality on the nose although not overally aromatic. Wine has red fruit and tobacco notes with a slightly acidic and irony finish. Drink up.
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Very dark color; still purple at the rim. On the nose it is quite attractive with dark fruit and a certain sweetness, but not more subdued. On palate still closed and surprisingly tannic. Has come along surprisingly nicely and shows a rich taste
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Dark bomb. Not a huge nose but lovely big wine full of dark cherry and some gamy meat. Beautiful stuff, but not a lot of typicity of Rioja. All modern. Depends what you're looking for but a delicious wine if you want a biggie. Plenty left in the tank.
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Last of my four bottles, consumed New Year's Eve with my neighbor. What a great wine! The best of the night - all others were BIG Napa reds such as Regusci and Alexis, Caymus. Ready to drink now, if you have not already done so.
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No rating - bottle was flawed. Not corked, just flawed with an overpowering SOUR taste. The other two from this winery of this vintage were fantastic. One left, hope it is still good.
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Delicious stuff, very elegant. Fantastic perfumey nose w/ sandalwood notes - expensive wood was clearly used for aging. Plum fruit, cassis, leather, exotic spices.
Only negative was LOTS of fine sediment.
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Popped, poured, consumed over two hours. This is MY profile of enjoyment. Beautiful nose of dark fruit, soft leather and spice. Deep ultra dark back cherry color, medium bodied with concentrated fresh fruit; fantastic balance and deep integration of oak and tannins. Soft power with complexity. The finish exposes layers of lingering taste.
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This wine has definitely improved with age ( last bottle opened 5 years ago) - but still falls a tad short on the overall finish. Robust, full bodied with sweet oak/vanilla on the nose and a cherry infused finish. Acidity and alcohol seem to shorten the finish
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Nose of raw red meat, and plum, maybe dark cherry. Dark color, still quite young although drinking great. Good thru 2020 easy. Very nice palate. Some licorice, raspberry. Good stuff. Very modern style.
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Leather, oak and black fruit aromas. Opens up to a balance of blackberry, pencil and oak flavors. Enjoyed with rustic foccia. Medium finish with a hint of rosemay.
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Decanted close to an hour. So nice. New world style (in that it has lots of juicy fruit). It is not too fruity however. It has beautiful structure behind the fruit and it is balanced with acidity and lovely tobacco notes.
Definitely drinking well now.
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Popped this on an impulse as we got the Christmas Eve party rolling. I don't think this wine had a fair shake as I was only able to grab a quick glass and the rest was consumed by 7 thirsty guests! I recall that this wine would've been great to contemplate and think about but alas it was drained so quick so no formal notes.
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This was a HUGE improvement over the last bottle consumed in 01/09. That bottle was a disjointed mess and I believe I rated it in the mid -80s. I immediately regretted buying a second bottle.
I can now gladly say I was wrong with that assessment. This wine completely turned around and was utterly fantastic. There is no doubt this is in a new world style, but the fruit was pure the tannins sweet and the dark berry flavors singing. This is new world done right, I actually wish I had more.
A fantastic bottle to seek out of you can find it for the release price!
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About 1 hour decant - Great nose herbs, dark fruit, spices and talcum. This bottle is very expressive and opened up nicely. Tart cherries, plums, good depth of flavor, spices and complexity. Outstanding wine, would recommend having wit food.
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Should have heeded my own advice and drank this in a few years - decanted for 1.5 hours before dinner (grilled NY strip) - full bodied tempranillo in the modern style - plum / tobacco / black currants on nose & palate - nice finish and good acids but not tons of complexity yet - if you have any left hold for a few years- this was better than the last bottle I had one year ago. Should improve with bottle time. 89-90 range. Preferred the '08 Pegau CDP to this wine head to head (92 WS vs. 96 for this wine).
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lots of plum flavors coming through in this rich, bold effort. Needs some decanting and more aging time. I drank this bottle over several days and noticed it dropping off after day 2, taking on a bitter aftertaste. Maybe I will wait a year to open the next one.
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What a marvelous wine, deep dark color with strong tannins, strong nose and a complex long lasting finish. Too bad I only had a single bottle of this in my cellar because it is certainly worth cellaring for many more years. We had it with Bourbon Fillet Mignon tips, Truffle Mash and roasted Brussels Sprouts.
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Right now this bottle shows the balance that you expect for an expensive wine. It is hard to pick up where this wine is going, but time will tell, and you can probably aim to drink this in 20-30 years.
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Deep color for a Rioja, not transparent. Nose is full of bright ripe red fruits, blueberry, earth, and herbs. On the palate, this wine is medium full, with rich deep fruit. On the back, this wine tightens to show its balanced tannic structure, with good grip and finishing acidity. Good finesse in a big, modern bruising wine.
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Spanish Tasting (Twin Cities): Very nice wine and plenty of structure to go the long haul. Cedar, cherry, floral, oak and intense spices. The wine had a really interesting floral aroma at the beginning but 2 hours later it blew off. The wine was drinking better up front so I would recommend a light decant.
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Spanish Tasting at John's (Minneapolis): Purple color. Nose screams cedar and herbs at the outset, evolves beautifully to show a nice floral element along with the dark fruits. About an hour in the earth began to emerge as well. The palate shows nice concentration, dark fruit that is initially masked and then appears over an hour, round tannins, nice finish. I found this wine evolving through the tasting and getting progressively better. 93+pts.
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Kemp's 65th including some 1945 wines.: Big ass bottle. Certainly over compensating for a lack of something. The wine is thin and lacks anything of interest. Its drinkable and has some cherry fruit. That's about it. I may be too hard on it, but its not old world or new world. It just misses for my tastes. Didn't hear any positive comments either. I have had this wine before and been disappointed as well.
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Popped and poured. Drank over a five hour dinner and jam session. This is our third bottle of this over the past several years and each bottle has been spectacular. The nose is a thick blend of dark bing cherries, sweet vanillan, and apricot/peach jam. The body was really well balanced with sugared dates, more dark cherries, plums all riding on a foundation of mild oaky vanillan. The finish was the weakest part of the bottle -- if one had to find something to improve. We had this with a BBQ pulled pork, fresh cornbread, and a sweet corn salad.
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Getting together with friends (Our House, Avondale, PA): Decanted for about two hours. Lots of fruit, with some mint and spices. I didn't know what to guess because it has quite a bit of ripe fruit but it was dry and slightly tart on the finish which made me think old world. I don't much experience with Rioja and I enjoyed this.
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Needs time in bottle or decant for hours - after 4 hours in the decanter it started to improve but it was a little disjointed (finish was very long though). Cork was in good shape so I don't think the wine was bad. Will not rate at this time.
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The Nose is redonculously complex & fragrant!!! Nice notes of cedar , Black cherries, violets & a touch of graphite. Very Dense & complex for sure. The palate is remarkably well balanced & there is a nice concentration: Nice flavors of plums, blackberries & smoke. Nice acidity & velvety tannins well coated with the fruit. Great lenght & ridiculour persistence. A very good wine at this price point & should even improve with a few years of cellaring! SUPERB!!!
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This bottle was a good as our last one. A beautiful aroma of dark cherries, sweet apricot (?) and toasty vanilla. During the entire time we drank this bottle there was an underlying foundation of subtle oak vanillan. On top of that and completely integrated were a delicious mix of black currants, cherries, and what I thought was sugared fig (?). It all came together with incredible smoothness. Our hats are off to Bodega Lan for this gem. Served with Grilled Vegetable Couscous Pilaf and an Edemame Salad.
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Popped and poured following two earlier Bordeaux wines at dinner. Definitely had the power I was looking for but decanting would have been better as the wine improved with air time. A powerful but seductive wine. Displays Bordeaux like characteristics on the nose but definitely leans toward the new world feel in the mouth.
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Produced only in exceptional vintages. Structured in feel, like the Limitada, with some green pepper, and cool-climate with herbal characteristics rather than just hugely ripe. I like this. 92-93.
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Notes from day 2. Dark purple to black in color. Nose of blueberry, black raspberry, toasted oak, vanilla, spice. On the palate there was blueberry, plums, spice, oak, a little lower quality tobacco, and a little bitter tannin on the back. The finish is long and there is a nice mouthfeel to this wine, but it is a little "warming" and close to "hot" IMO. This is a really not a traditional rioja in style, very new world, not really what I was expecting. Drink or hold. 50+5+12+16+7
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First off, I have had the regular Lan Rioja Reserva from the same vintage several times and enjoy it tremendously. Is the Culmen appreciably better? Yes... but it didn't blow me away for $55 (vs $15 for the non-Culmen). It is still great and will definitely improve with 1-2 more years. Nose: Cedar box, cherries, plums, violets, hint of a dusty gravel road. Dense nose. Palate: Dust/hint of graphite, plums, mesquite bbq sauce on the attack. The fantastic structure really struts its stuff on the mid-palate - crisp, abundant acid, velvety tannins, solid fruit. Tannins take over on the finish, drying things up a bit. Give this one some time.
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This bottle was dobule decanted with the wine, in the bottle, spending approximately 9 hours in the cellar after the initial decantation. Color is dark, dark purple, almost black. Nose is balanced with minerals, blue fruits, spices, vanilla, and oak, however, clearly the nose is holding back as this wine probably needs 4-5 years before it emerges from its shell. On palate the wine is muted, but extremely balanced with sour plums and blue fruits, toasty oak with a spicy finish. It is tannic at the moment with silky texture and fine acidity. The balance of this wine leads me to a conclusion that this will be a very special wine in the future, 93-95+. To my pleasure, it is not and never will be the fruit bomb many have come to expect from the modern day spainsh wines.
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An aromatic nose of cherry and spice. I did not find the wine to be too big- the tannins were well intergrated. However I did find the finish to be lacking a little - it was short and maybe this will improve with age.
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Decanted 1 hour. Nose: Dark fruit, black berry, black currant. Anise and vanilla also on the nose - similar to a Napa cab. Palate: Full bodied, almost chewy. The dark fruit dominates here as well, nice long finish. Excellent wine.
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That said, this is thoroughly modern, expressive and rich wine. Full-on fruit with well-handled oak. Lush textures. Lasted forever in the decanter without decaying. Once I gave up on expecting Rioja (from the moment I looked at the bottle really), I enjoyed it.
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12/20/2023 - curtr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Resolved, bold, well balanced. Drink now to 2025.
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5/4/2023 - pmk wrote: 95 Points
beautiful fruit firward, soft tannins and leathery notes. best through a vinturi, and better day 1 than day 2. lost fruit forward character
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9/11/2022 - Snoski62 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a powerful wine that I would compare favorably to any Bordeaux. Dark red. Well integrated with red fruits, earth, and some spice. Long elegant finish. Beautiful with grilled steaks. Wish I had more!
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4/17/2022 - Coupe 60 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Years have done this wine very well. Still tastes fresh and youthful, But definitely in its prime.. Modern styled and lush red fruit, but not over the top. Good balance, and soft long finish.
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2/26/2022 - SteAmy wrote:
• Score: 5
• Drink: Keep or drink
• A gloomy, wet start to the harvest turned into perfect weather for beautifully balanced, fine, classic Rioja.
(Decanter Magazine 2022)
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1/28/2022 - Winiac wrote: 97 Points
This wine is not stylistically right, and is more similar to Ribera del Duero wines, BUT from the stand point of wine quality, it is off the charts. Dark ruby red to Garnet color. Extremely pleasant and expressive bouquet. Focused flavors with lush, and ripe fruit, yet has the solid structure of the old world wines. Full bodied and balanced. Long length and pleasant finish. Has delicious factor. Checks all the boxes! Paired very well with grilled lamb lion with onion and saffron.
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10/13/2021 - curtr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1.5 hrs, big, in the mid drinking window. Drink now-2025.
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8/14/2021 - curtr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1.5 hrs, mostly resolved, paired with shrimp, pasta and white sauce. Drink now-2025.
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8/4/2021 - prism wrote:
This bottle was not up to the standards of the previous, with a hint of oxidization setting in; those of you holding may want to check in now.
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8/4/2021 - prism wrote: 92 Points
This bottle has aged beautifully. Great with food. Rich and romantic.
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2/13/2021 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
An old-vine Rioja from 40-60 yo vines growing in 5,3-hectare vineyard Pago El Rincón, located at the altitude of 490 meters a.s.l. Mainly Tempranillo (85-90%) with some Graciano. Fermented in tronconic oak vats, aged for two years in new French oak barriques. 14% alcohol. Bottled in a ludicrous bottle that stills weighs 1,35 kg when it's completely empty.
Somewhat translucent, deep yet not dark black cherry color. Big, brooding and rather dark-toned nose with somewhat sweet-toned aromas of toasty oak spice, ripe dark plums, some earthy tones, a little bit of sweet blueberry juice, light notes of mocha coffee, a hint of allspice and a touch of pipe tobacco. Rich, full-bodied and rather extracted on the palate with bold, dark-toned flavors of ripe dark plums, some sour cherries, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, light sweet notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of farmhouse funk and a touch of sweet blueberries. Although very big, the wine comes across as enjoyably structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is lively, rich and moderately grippy with juicy and somewhat oaky finish with flavors of ripe dark plums and slightly wizened dark berries, some chocolatey cocoa oak, a little bit of earth, light sweet notes of toasted wood, a hint of new leather and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A big, extracted and quite international wine. Not particularly "Rioja" in style, but still sits firmly in the stylistic spectrum of modern, oak-forward Tempranillo. If served blind, I would've placed this happily in Ribera del Duero. Nevertheless, for such a big blockbuster, I found the wine rather balanced and enjoyable for what it is. For many people this was the wine of the evening, but for me it was way too big, ripe and oaky. Nevertheless, the high quality and sense of balance is certainly there. The wine shows surprisingly little age for one clocking at +15 years of age, so I can imagine this will continue to improve for many years more. If you know you're expecting a modern bruiser and not a traditional Rioja red, this is actually relatively good an effort.
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2/13/2021 - Lype Likes this wine:
The tempting nose is full of promise of a classy wine, the palate fulfils the promise with rich ripe fruit and intensity, on the palate there is cherries, plums and tobacco, the lovely floral lilac and purple fruit flauvors make this a claret type classy wine, tannins are in the right place and oak is present but not overtly so, this is an outstanding wine which is drinking perfectly now.
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1/27/2021 - pmk wrote: 95 Points
spectacular wine that remained wonderful over 3 days. Popped and poured thru vinturi and into a large glass. improved over two hours. Very well intergrated, with fruit and terroir and well resolved tannins. Full bodied. TM at Robert Parker nailed it.
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11/7/2020 - Hokieken wrote: 92 Points
Cork issues. Needs at least an hour decant to open up.
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4/12/2020 - sortcode wrote: 92 Points
11.4.2020:+ Sehr schöne Alterungsnoten, Lorbeere, Sauerkirsche, erdig, mineralisch, leichtes Pfeffer, schöne Süße, präsente Tanine, leicht holzig, Höhepunkt nach 2h dekantieren, jetzt bis 2022
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2/12/2020 - pmk wrote: 95 Points
see winespectator review.
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11/27/2019 - tellison@legacy-capital.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Non decanted, the wine opened up nicely. Fruit and tannins in good balance. Enjoyed the wine with a nice Indian dinner and it held up well. Dark fruits, soft tannins and heavenly on the nose. A good time to enjoy and at its peak now.
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7/7/2019 - pilot360 wrote:
The oak and ethanol were the main players here. Hard to find any balance.
This does drink very young. I seemed to have liked this 8 years ago, according to a note, but way out of my wheelhouse these days.
Now I’m going to rent a forklift to dispose of this bottle.
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2/16/2019 - prism wrote: 92 Points
Slow O’d for a couple of hours. At the beginning of its prime drinking window, IMO. Somewhat grippy tannins, red and blue fruits. Stood up well to bibimbap with sriracha, which is saying something. Delicious.
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12/22/2018 - curtr Likes this wine:
Still young. Decant at least 3 hrs. An intense wine at present. Try again in 2 yrs.
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5/20/2018 - megropolis wrote:
Wow it's a heavy bottle, really. Incredibly youthful wine @14. Pronounced acidity balances out wood treatment. There is no sweetness. Will keep other bottle for a long time to see how it will develop, I think it can do another 14 easily.
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1/8/2018 - plasticman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Elegant! In a great phase right now. Sorry that I don’t have more bottles of this.
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11/19/2017 - pandresgi@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking wonderfully now.
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4/14/2017 - dzrjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Got much better after a few hours. Dark fruits and spice. Short finish, but otherwise a joy to drink. Balanced oak.
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4/11/2017 - THaas Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent. Cork broke on removal, but the wine was just right. Velvety, dark, with spicy dark cherry and raspberry notes, rich mouthfeel, long finish.
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3/12/2017 - prism wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, followed over two hours with a meal of Jerked Chicken. My first of four bottles: this is certainly in its drinking window, but seems as though it could stand a bit more evolution. The bottle is so ridiculously big and heavy for a .750 that one expects a bigger, heavier wine, but this is, after all, a Tempranillo, and the grape only goes so far in that direction. I like this a lot but wanted to like it more. Very solid, and quite good, but not a Wow wine for me. Like all Tempranillos, great with food, and it stood up equally well to the spicy meat and the creamy roast Yukon Gold potatoes. Drink or hold.
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3/5/2017 - ctjared Likes this wine:
not as brooding or rustic as it was in its early days, might be fading. silky tannins though and drinking nicely.
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8/24/2016 - andtheodor wrote:
1.3 kilogram bottle (WTF???) tells you all you need to know - this is good fruit in a shiny package that's trying way too hard. Very dark, smelling of fine oak and plummy fruit, with no individuality. I guess it tastes fine, but it's not Rioja, it's a lump.
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3/6/2016 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last of 6 bottles that I have been drinking now for 6 years. Purple with clear rim now emerging and some fine sediment as well. Nice minerality on the nose although not overally aromatic. Wine has red fruit and tobacco notes with a slightly acidic and irony finish. Drink up.
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2/13/2016 - IvanKrazy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not as good as other vintages of this wine. It had a decent nose but fell short on the palate, a bit monolithic, in fact.
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12/11/2015 - Bandreas wrote:
Very dark color; still purple at the rim.
On the nose it is quite attractive with dark fruit and a certain sweetness, but not more subdued.
On palate still closed and surprisingly tannic.
Has come along surprisingly nicely and shows a rich taste
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9/19/2015 - plasticman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine of the night! Drinking elegantly now, but still has that element that this can age much longer.
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5/31/2015 - RJ Gordon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Always love this wine, - its elegantly big...great fruit and structure. Should have decanted longer, - but still good.
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4/26/2015 - RJ Gordon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic! Everything about this wine worked...just delicious.
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4/10/2015 - ctjared Likes this wine:
as good if not better then I remember it. drinking so well.
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1/26/2015 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark bomb. Not a huge nose but lovely big wine full of dark cherry and some gamy meat. Beautiful stuff, but not a lot of typicity of Rioja. All modern. Depends what you're looking for but a delicious wine if you want a biggie. Plenty left in the tank.
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1/1/2015 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Last of my four bottles, consumed New Year's Eve with my neighbor. What a great wine! The best of the night - all others were BIG Napa reds such as Regusci and Alexis, Caymus. Ready to drink now, if you have not already done so.
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11/30/2014 - RJ Gordon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolute terrific, - elegant, lovely nuanced fruit, rounded mouth feel with a wonderful finish. Loved this wine.
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8/28/2014 - DTWOB wrote: flawed
No rating - bottle was flawed. Not corked, just flawed with an overpowering SOUR taste. The other two from this winery of this vintage were fantastic. One left, hope it is still good.
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7/27/2014 - Sijan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious stuff, very elegant. Fantastic perfumey nose w/ sandalwood notes - expensive wood was clearly used for aging. Plum fruit, cassis, leather, exotic spices.
Only negative was LOTS of fine sediment.
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7/7/2014 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over two hours. This is MY profile of enjoyment. Beautiful nose of dark fruit, soft leather and spice. Deep ultra dark back cherry color, medium bodied with concentrated fresh fruit; fantastic balance and deep integration of oak and tannins. Soft power with complexity. The finish exposes layers of lingering taste.
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6/7/2014 - ctjared Likes this wine:
dark fruit and very balanced. drinking well
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4/9/2014 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine has definitely improved with age ( last bottle opened 5 years ago) - but still falls a tad short on the overall finish. Robust, full bodied with sweet oak/vanilla on the nose and a cherry infused finish. Acidity and alcohol seem to shorten the finish
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12/13/2013 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of raw red meat, and plum, maybe dark cherry. Dark color, still quite young although drinking great. Good thru 2020 easy. Very nice palate. Some licorice, raspberry. Good stuff. Very modern style.
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7/19/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 88 Points
Austere nose; green blackberry; don't open again for at least 5 years.
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5/15/2013 - rharley44 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Leather, oak and black fruit aromas. Opens up to a balance of blackberry, pencil and oak flavors. Enjoyed with rustic foccia. Medium finish with a hint of rosemay.
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3/21/2013 - Strumpet101 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted close to an hour. So nice. New world style (in that it has lots of juicy fruit). It is not too fruity however. It has beautiful structure behind the fruit and it is balanced with acidity and lovely tobacco notes.
Definitely drinking well now.
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1/1/2013 - Woodford Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smells of mildew, smoke, & tobacco. Tastes of light black fruits & earth. Think & high in acidity. Delicious after 20 minutes. Full Bodied.
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12/24/2012 - Arch57 wrote: 91 Points
Popped this on an impulse as we got the Christmas Eve party rolling. I don't think this wine had a fair shake as I was only able to grab a quick glass and the rest was consumed by 7 thirsty guests! I recall that this wine would've been great to contemplate and think about but alas it was drained so quick so no formal notes.
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8/4/2012 - NavyGrog wrote: 92 Points
Very thick. Rich and smooth. Sweet and fruity. Beautiful deep red color!
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8/1/2012 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RussK WIC at Brio, doing Rioja v Ribera. My 2nd WOTN, after it opened up. med to full bodied.Really nice balance and acidity in the finish. 91+
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4/12/2012 - nschmidt wrote: 91 Points
Very nice new world wine. It didn't remind me of other riojas but was a tasty California styled drink.
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4/1/2012 - Colia wrote: 90 Points
Cloudy, and with faintly dry tannins. That being said, it was medium bodied, carried great fruit, had regal finesse, and a sweet finish.
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12/20/2011 - Hamilton1 wrote: 89 Points
A decent Tempranillo, but definitely not close to a 96
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9/28/2011 - paulst wrote: 88 Points
Little nose; light blackberry; earthy; acidity; some heat; evolving.
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8/30/2011 - junglejuice wrote: 93 Points
Notes from Memory - Drank on 8/02/11
This was a HUGE improvement over the last bottle consumed in 01/09. That bottle was a disjointed mess and I believe I rated it in the mid -80s. I immediately regretted buying a second bottle.
I can now gladly say I was wrong with that assessment. This wine completely turned around and was utterly fantastic. There is no doubt this is in a new world style, but the fruit was pure the tannins sweet and the dark berry flavors singing. This is new world done right, I actually wish I had more.
A fantastic bottle to seek out of you can find it for the release price!
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6/22/2011 - pilot360 wrote:
About 1 hour decant - Great nose herbs, dark fruit, spices and talcum. This bottle is very expressive and opened up nicely. Tart cherries, plums, good depth of flavor, spices and complexity.
Outstanding wine, would recommend having wit food.
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5/15/2011 - Javitxu wrote: 96 Points
Wine spectator
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5/14/2011 - CWilliam wrote: 89 Points
Should have heeded my own advice and drank this in a few years - decanted for 1.5 hours before dinner (grilled NY strip) - full bodied tempranillo in the modern style - plum / tobacco / black currants on nose & palate - nice finish and good acids but not tons of complexity yet - if you have any left hold for a few years- this was better than the last bottle I had one year ago. Should improve with bottle time. 89-90 range. Preferred the '08 Pegau CDP to this wine head to head (92 WS vs. 96 for this wine).
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5/13/2011 - wine4me2 wrote:
lots of plum flavors coming through in this rich, bold effort. Needs some decanting and more aging time. I drank this bottle over several days and noticed it dropping off after day 2, taking on a bitter aftertaste. Maybe I will wait a year to open the next one.
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4/16/2011 - asultan wrote: 93 Points
What a marvelous wine, deep dark color with strong tannins, strong nose and a complex long lasting finish. Too bad I only had a single bottle of this in my cellar because it is certainly worth cellaring for many more years. We had it with Bourbon Fillet Mignon tips, Truffle Mash and roasted Brussels Sprouts.
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2/22/2011 - rdesmeul wrote: 92 Points
Right now this bottle shows the balance that you expect for an expensive wine. It is hard to pick up where this wine is going, but time will tell, and you can probably aim to drink this in 20-30 years.
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1/24/2011 - aajder wrote: 90 Points
Deep color for a Rioja, not transparent. Nose is full of bright ripe red fruits, blueberry, earth, and herbs. On the palate, this wine is medium full, with rich deep fruit. On the back, this wine tightens to show its balanced tannic structure, with good grip and finishing acidity. Good finesse in a big, modern bruising wine.
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1/17/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Spanish Tasting (Twin Cities): Very nice wine and plenty of structure to go the long haul. Cedar, cherry, floral, oak and intense spices. The wine had a really interesting floral aroma at the beginning but 2 hours later it blew off. The wine was drinking better up front so I would recommend a light decant.
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1/16/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Spanish Tasting at John's (Minneapolis): Purple color. Nose screams cedar and herbs at the outset, evolves beautifully to show a nice floral element along with the dark fruits. About an hour in the earth began to emerge as well. The palate shows nice concentration, dark fruit that is initially masked and then appears over an hour, round tannins, nice finish. I found this wine evolving through the tasting and getting progressively better. 93+pts.
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12/13/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 85 Points
Kemp's 65th including some 1945 wines.: Big ass bottle. Certainly over compensating for a lack of something. The wine is thin and lacks anything of interest. Its drinkable and has some cherry fruit. That's about it. I may be too hard on it, but its not old world or new world. It just misses for my tastes. Didn't hear any positive comments either. I have had this wine before and been disappointed as well.
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12/6/2010 - TMacpherson wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured. Drank over a five hour dinner and jam session. This is our third bottle of this over the past several years and each bottle has been spectacular. The nose is a thick blend of dark bing cherries, sweet vanillan, and apricot/peach jam. The body was really well balanced with sugared dates, more dark cherries, plums all riding on a foundation of mild oaky vanillan. The finish was the weakest part of the bottle -- if one had to find something to improve. We had this with a BBQ pulled pork, fresh cornbread, and a sweet corn salad.
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11/6/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Getting together with friends (Our House, Avondale, PA): Decanted for about two hours. Lots of fruit, with some mint and spices. I didn't know what to guess because it has quite a bit of ripe fruit but it was dry and slightly tart on the finish which made me think old world. I don't much experience with Rioja and I enjoyed this.
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8/20/2010 - CWilliam wrote:
Needs time in bottle or decant for hours - after 4 hours in the decanter it started to improve but it was a little disjointed (finish was very long though). Cork was in good shape so I don't think the wine was bad. Will not rate at this time.
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8/1/2010 - jcomm wrote: 96 Points
The Nose is redonculously complex & fragrant!!! Nice notes of cedar , Black cherries, violets & a touch of graphite. Very Dense & complex for sure.
The palate is remarkably well balanced & there is a nice concentration: Nice flavors of plums, blackberries & smoke. Nice acidity & velvety tannins well coated with the fruit. Great lenght & ridiculour persistence.
A very good wine at this price point & should even improve with a few years of cellaring! SUPERB!!!
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7/16/2010 - TMacpherson Likes this wine: 96 Points
This bottle was a good as our last one. A beautiful aroma of dark cherries, sweet apricot (?) and toasty vanilla. During the entire time we drank this bottle there was an underlying foundation of subtle oak vanillan. On top of that and completely integrated were a delicious mix of black currants, cherries, and what I thought was sugared fig (?). It all came together with incredible smoothness. Our hats are off to Bodega Lan for this gem. Served with Grilled Vegetable Couscous Pilaf and an Edemame Salad.
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5/29/2010 - Baeyens Cellars wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured following two earlier Bordeaux wines at dinner. Definitely had the power I was looking for but decanting would have been better as the wine improved with air time. A powerful but seductive wine. Displays Bordeaux like characteristics on the nose but definitely leans toward the new world feel in the mouth.
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5/18/2010 - Friedo wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple. Cherries and plums. Velvet tannins. Excellent and should only improve.
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5/8/2010 - mgl wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth, tobacco & earthy hints. tannins were just fine. Drinking great now and likely to be good for many years.
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5/6/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 93 Points
Produced only in exceptional vintages. Structured in feel, like the Limitada, with some green pepper, and cool-climate with herbal characteristics rather than just hugely ripe. I like this. 92-93.
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4/13/2010 - manonthemoon wrote: 90 Points
Notes from day 2. Dark purple to black in color. Nose of blueberry, black raspberry, toasted oak, vanilla, spice. On the palate there was blueberry, plums, spice, oak, a little lower quality tobacco, and a little bitter tannin on the back. The finish is long and there is a nice mouthfeel to this wine, but it is a little "warming" and close to "hot" IMO. This is a really not a traditional rioja in style, very new world, not really what I was expecting. Drink or hold. 50+5+12+16+7
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4/2/2010 - RLP wrote: 93 Points
Very enjoyable, tannins not overpowering
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3/23/2010 - Fuzzy Squash wrote: 93 Points
Drank with Daniel Boloud's Basque Chicken and Chorizo Sauté. Excellent pairing.
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1/10/2010 - limule wrote: 90 Points
peux encore vieillir
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11/20/2009 - limule wrote: 93 Points
EXCELLENT
DANIELE
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11/13/2009 - gunpwdr wrote: 92 Points
First off, I have had the regular Lan Rioja Reserva from the same vintage several times and enjoy it tremendously. Is the Culmen appreciably better? Yes... but it didn't blow me away for $55 (vs $15 for the non-Culmen). It is still great and will definitely improve with 1-2 more years. Nose: Cedar box, cherries, plums, violets, hint of a dusty gravel road. Dense nose. Palate: Dust/hint of graphite, plums, mesquite bbq sauce on the attack. The fantastic structure really struts its stuff on the mid-palate - crisp, abundant acid, velvety tannins, solid fruit. Tannins take over on the finish, drying things up a bit. Give this one some time.
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10/4/2009 - G Kapoor wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was dobule decanted with the wine, in the bottle, spending approximately 9 hours in the cellar after the initial decantation. Color is dark, dark purple, almost black. Nose is balanced with minerals, blue fruits, spices, vanilla, and oak, however, clearly the nose is holding back as this wine probably needs 4-5 years before it emerges from its shell. On palate the wine is muted, but extremely balanced with sour plums and blue fruits, toasty oak with a spicy finish. It is tannic at the moment with silky texture and fine acidity. The balance of this wine leads me to a conclusion that this will be a very special wine in the future, 93-95+. To my pleasure, it is not and never will be the fruit bomb many have come to expect from the modern day spainsh wines.
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8/3/2009 - GlenviewGSW wrote: 90 Points
An aromatic nose of cherry and spice. I did not find the wine to be too big- the tannins were well intergrated. However I did find the finish to be lacking a little - it was short and maybe this will improve with age.
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5/25/2009 - tooch wrote: 90 Points
far too young to drink now - i made the mistake of opening this giant the other night. save it for a couple years and it will mature nicely.
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5/2/2009 - prasm wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Nose: Dark fruit, black berry, black currant. Anise and vanilla also on the nose - similar to a Napa cab. Palate: Full bodied, almost chewy. The dark fruit dominates here as well, nice long finish. Excellent wine.
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1/13/2009 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
This isn't Rioja.
That said, this is thoroughly modern, expressive and rich wine. Full-on fruit with well-handled oak. Lush textures. Lasted forever in the decanter without decaying. Once I gave up on expecting Rioja (from the moment I looked at the bottle really), I enjoyed it.
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11/24/2008 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 92 Points
Deep rich color, Loads of Licorice, Plums, spices, and subtle mineral and oak. Nice ripe friut, Full and well balanced. (Best from 2010-2019) - JD92
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