Smells a bit oxidized, with oil-roasted nuts, oak spice and maybe some roasted fruits. Medium-bodied and a little past its prime. Still drinkable, but probably best a few years ago. Nice tannic structure and easy to drink if you can get past the oxidative notes. Drink now. Hopefully an off bottle as I have always loved this wine for everyday drinking. 84
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This Reserva has an inviting bouquet of cherries, tobacco and spice that leads to a smooth and supple palate of red and dark fruits underscored by oak, culminating in a medium finish; An excellent wine in its own right, and a tremendous value
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Now here is the savoriness of rioja. But touches of french oak showing off as well. So has the sweet sausage note of high octane Riberia at the early turn of the century; but backed off a bit, and well done.
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One of the other CT notes says that this wine lacks the 'wow factor'. The wow factor in this wine is that it's only $18. Probably one of the best under $20 wines that I've had in a long time. Aromas of earth and spice mix with some deep crushed berry notes that translate to the palate very well with just the right amount of body and balance. An excellent wine and I'll head back to the store today to buy whatever remaining bottles they have.
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An amazing wine at an amazing price, really great QPR and so very tasty! - Dark, full bodied with a nose of plum, cherry, graphite, spice and creamy vanilla, well structured and balanced, complex, dusty, off dry on the palate with terrific length, outstanding! (92 Points).
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Dark ruby red in color. Not much on the nose. Acidity in balance with sweetness, lots of fruit notes, but an overripe plum flavor dominates which detracts from the pleasant tannins
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Dark Ruby color, Oak and cherry nose. Short to medium finish. Drinks decent for the 1st hour and starts to fade after. Not a "wow" but a comfy Rioja that is good with food!
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My impressions perfectly mirror the 6/18/12 note by another faster, minus the fig note which I didn't perceive. Adequate if not particularly captivating.
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A decent Rioja, but lacking unique qualities and a wow factor. Aromas of cherries, tobacco and cedar. Medium-bodied, medium tannins, with flavors of soft cherries, figs and toast. Not bad for a Monday night, but I don't think I'd seek this out.
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The wine looks Ruby colored. The body is Medium/Full. The wine finishes Medium. We liked it well enough that we are considering purchasing more bottles.
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Not much nose aside from subtle cherries marinated in rubber cement and soy sauce. But it drinks better than it smells (the smell isn't "bad" at all, despite my description which was intended to be accurate and not insulting). It has round supple tannins, and an encouraging soft attack with a quick finish. The aftertaste is a nice inhalation of plum and cherry. All in all, not superb, but certainly not bad.
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Decanted for perhaps 40 minutes then had with tortilla de patatas and a sweet, tender Asian leafy green. Light garnet color, mild nose of oak and leather. Subdued tart fruit, mild leathery notes but generally weak and thin. It adequately washed down the food but a disappointment compared with previous vintages. Drink up.
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The color is a clear, medium garnet and the nose is clean with medium intensity. This shows figs, mushrooms, and tartar along with that clear indicator of American oak, coconuts. The palate is medium-bodied with medium acidity and tannins and has strong flavors of black plums, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla. The finish is long and this rates very good.
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The nose opens with roses, cherries, allspice, dried rosemary and tobacco. The palate is full and well endowed but the fruit remains pure and vibrant, excellent vinous finish of dried fruit and licorice with some vanillin wood notes. Well texture, elegant and pure, this is an outstanding wine and one of the absolute best values in all the wine world.
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PnP. Was not paying enough attention to the wine for detailed notes but the combination of pronounced acidity and a rather thin and hollow palate did not show aprticularly well. Short finish
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Better after it sits for a bit. Sour cherry, red fruit, spice & earth with a long finish. Some slight bitterness but dissipates quickly. Good solid red. Old world taste.
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Good. A little barnyard funk on the nose at opening. Glass decant for about 30 min. and it dissipated. I liked this. Dark crimson color. Nose of dark fruit, spice and mineral. On the palate, nice fruit showing after about 10 min. Dark fruit like blackberry and spice with earthy notes like crushed rocks and wet earth. Good acid to balance the fruit. Yummy.
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I don't get a wine like this? What is the point? Plenty of tannins, some spice but then nothing, even on day 2 it improved so slightly but not enouch to make a difference. Even with food made no real difference. I like Spanish wines and I like Tempranillo, but this was so dissapointing.
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Deep ruby red; medium body. Needs at least a half hour to decant. Nice supple, smooth texture; lots of lushness. Dust, black cherries, cloves all combine to make a delightful wine. Good consistent producer.
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A bit disjointed, the oak seemed out of place, and getting a lot of it on the nose and palate, with some anisette and cherry candy. I've had better vintages of this, for the price I can't complain much.
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Drank over a few days. Nice cocoa aroma. Loads of sour cherry, with dark berry, oak and a little herbiness on the finish. A bit disjointed tasting...lacked balance. Firm tannins and a medium finish.
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Gave this a 45 minute decanting. Dark ruby in color. Nose was a little tight. Lovely on the palate with good concentration. Nice finish. LAN wines are always a great value and food friendly.
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Dark fruits, talcum powder on nose; modern style. Dark, anise-inflected flavors; fairly extracted and a bit bitter but still likeable. Not much better than the crianza sample tasted today, and the crianza might have a better balance. Decent choice for its price range. 86-88 pts
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6/22/2020 - Jpmurguia1028 wrote: 88 Points
Muy buen Rioja. El año formidable.
Precio calidad de 10
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10/16/2017 - Janstan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet tobacco, earthy. Went excellently with smoked beef brisket
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8/7/2017 - djpo wrote: 89 Points
Lots still going on here. Opens with dark berries, adds Minerality with air. Interesting.
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11/9/2016 - dclaggett wrote: 85 Points
In drinking window now. Classic Tempranillo notes and flavour, but not sophisticated or powerful. Easy to drink, worth $20cdn.
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8/5/2016 - WineGuyX wrote: 84 Points
Smells a bit oxidized, with oil-roasted nuts, oak spice and maybe some roasted fruits. Medium-bodied and a little past its prime. Still drinkable, but probably best a few years ago. Nice tannic structure and easy to drink if you can get past the oxidative notes. Drink now. Hopefully an off bottle as I have always loved this wine for everyday drinking. 84
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11/12/2014 - KingsleyZissou Likes this wine: 87 Points
Leather, cedar, pipe smoke and a faint floral perfume over a base structure of blackberries. Acceptable
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4/10/2014 - eluebchow Likes this wine: 90 Points
This Reserva has an inviting bouquet of cherries, tobacco and spice that leads to a smooth and supple palate of red and dark fruits underscored by oak, culminating in a medium finish; An excellent wine in its own right, and a tremendous value
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3/2/2014 - SoundinBetween wrote:
Tasted at Binny's Wine Expo. Excellent tempranillo, very good QPR. Can't wait to taste the Gran Reserva some day..
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5/26/2013 - G.O. wrote: 90 Points
Excellent wine. I could buy more if I wouldn't buy the last one.
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3/21/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Now here is the savoriness of rioja. But touches of french oak showing off as well. So has the sweet sausage note of high octane Riberia at the early turn of the century; but backed off a bit, and well done.
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12/13/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
One of the other CT notes says that this wine lacks the 'wow factor'. The wow factor in this wine is that it's only $18. Probably one of the best under $20 wines that I've had in a long time. Aromas of earth and spice mix with some deep crushed berry notes that translate to the palate very well with just the right amount of body and balance. An excellent wine and I'll head back to the store today to buy whatever remaining bottles they have.
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12/6/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
An amazing wine at an amazing price, really great QPR and so very tasty! - Dark, full bodied with a nose of plum, cherry, graphite, spice and creamy vanilla, well structured and balanced, complex, dusty, off dry on the palate with terrific length, outstanding! (92 Points).
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10/30/2012 - adaptation wrote: 86 Points
- Aromas of black currant and dusty. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of dusty. Round texture with a short finish.
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10/7/2012 - strugs wrote: 87 Points
Dark ruby red in color. Not much on the nose. Acidity in balance with sweetness, lots of fruit notes, but an overripe plum flavor dominates which detracts from the pleasant tannins
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10/5/2012 - lkh wrote: 90 Points
Dark Ruby color, Oak and cherry nose. Short to medium finish. Drinks decent for the 1st hour and starts to fade after. Not a "wow" but a comfy Rioja that is good with food!
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9/27/2012 - schwank wrote: 85 Points
Deep color with a plum nose. Dark cherry flavor with medium tannins and light-medium body. Reasonable but not something I would seek more of.
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9/16/2012 - Pilo73 wrote: 94 Points
Great wine tempranillo great flavor. Smell excelents aromas of oak
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9/9/2012 - Pilo73 wrote: 84 Points
Good quality excelent color floral aromas spice flavor
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7/27/2012 - EMTAME wrote: 86 Points
My impressions perfectly mirror the 6/18/12 note by another faster, minus the fig note which I didn't perceive. Adequate if not particularly captivating.
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6/18/2012 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 86 Points
A decent Rioja, but lacking unique qualities and a wow factor. Aromas of cherries, tobacco and cedar. Medium-bodied, medium tannins, with flavors of soft cherries, figs and toast. Not bad for a Monday night, but I don't think I'd seek this out.
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6/15/2012 - I like wine wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks Ruby colored. The body is Medium/Full. The wine finishes Medium. We liked it well enough that we are considering purchasing more bottles.
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5/4/2012 - JayPKay wrote: 86 Points
Not much nose aside from subtle cherries marinated in rubber cement and soy sauce. But it drinks better than it smells (the smell isn't "bad" at all, despite my description which was intended to be accurate and not insulting). It has round supple tannins, and an encouraging soft attack with a quick finish. The aftertaste is a nice inhalation of plum and cherry. All in all, not superb, but certainly not bad.
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5/4/2012 - RussK wrote: 90 Points
Russk Vibrant Rioja at the Hotel Intercontinental. Tight
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4/22/2012 - Lordmichaud wrote: 87 Points
Excellent mariage avec la Paëlla de Me Fraser!
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4/1/2012 - Mark Finn Likes this wine: 80 Points
This had medium legs and full flavour , was expecting a bit more but very nice .
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3/28/2012 - Euell Gophar wrote: 90 Points
Plums and dark berries with licorice nose. Opens up to leather and plum palate. Let it breathe at least 45 minutes.
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3/26/2012 - yeastbeast wrote: 80 Points
Decanted for perhaps 40 minutes then had with tortilla de patatas and a sweet, tender Asian leafy green. Light garnet color, mild nose of oak and leather. Subdued tart fruit, mild leathery notes but generally weak and thin. It adequately washed down the food but a disappointment compared with previous vintages. Drink up.
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2/24/2012 - WillSka Likes this wine:
The color is a clear, medium garnet and the nose is clean with medium intensity. This shows figs, mushrooms, and tartar along with that clear indicator of American oak, coconuts. The palate is medium-bodied with medium acidity and tannins and has strong flavors of black plums, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla. The finish is long and this rates very good.
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2/12/2012 - Sweet_Berry_Wine!! wrote: 92 Points
The nose opens with roses, cherries, allspice, dried rosemary and tobacco. The palate is full and well endowed but the fruit remains pure and vibrant, excellent vinous finish of dried fruit and licorice with some vanillin wood notes. Well texture, elegant and pure, this is an outstanding wine and one of the absolute best values in all the wine world.
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2/12/2012 - pavel_p wrote: 87 Points
PnP. Was not paying enough attention to the wine for detailed notes but the combination of pronounced acidity and a rather thin and hollow palate did not show aprticularly well. Short finish
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12/25/2011 - bonjovibon wrote: 87 Points
Totally decompensated. Acidity is sharp. Mouth is fallen down. And lastly, on nose you can't find any significant tempranillo note.
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11/6/2011 - JenXH wrote: 85 Points
Better after it sits for a bit. Sour cherry, red fruit, spice & earth with a long finish. Some slight bitterness but dissipates quickly. Good solid red. Old world taste.
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11/6/2011 - tjdripper wrote: 89 Points
Good. A little barnyard funk on the nose at opening. Glass decant for about 30 min. and it dissipated. I liked this. Dark crimson color. Nose of dark fruit, spice and mineral. On the palate, nice fruit showing after about 10 min. Dark fruit like blackberry and spice with earthy notes like crushed rocks and wet earth. Good acid to balance the fruit. Yummy.
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9/16/2011 - limule wrote: 90 Points
Tres bon
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8/29/2011 - Noto Bene wrote: 79 Points
I don't get a wine like this? What is the point? Plenty of tannins, some spice but then nothing, even on day 2 it improved so slightly but not enouch to make a difference. Even with food made no real difference. I like Spanish wines and I like Tempranillo, but this was so dissapointing.
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8/16/2011 - Le_Gaspesien wrote: 86 Points
Content que ce soit la derniere bouteille et que j'en avais pas acheter plus...
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6/20/2011 - corkscrews wrote: 87 Points
A nose of dark fruit and spice, dark purple in color. A medium to full bodied red blend, with blackberry, cherry, coffee and spice box, a good QPR.
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6/11/2011 - Bob in NC wrote: 88 Points
Nice old world food-friendly style wine with dried dark fruit, tobacco, anise and dusty tannins.
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5/8/2011 - Mike Ritner wrote:
Deep ruby red; medium body. Needs at least a half hour to decant. Nice supple, smooth texture; lots of lushness. Dust, black cherries, cloves all combine to make a delightful wine. Good consistent producer.
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3/27/2011 - Redwinedude wrote:
Quite smooth needed an hour decant . For $13 I'd call this a bargain and rate this at least a 90...
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3/19/2011 - hutch wrote: 86 Points
Spicy red fruit. Kind of boring at first, but it does open up a bit over time. 86-87
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2/11/2011 - izzy_z wrote: 86 Points
Dark; muddy; decent fruit/nose, but in a bitter wrapper
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2/10/2011 - wirelesswine wrote: 85 Points
A bit disjointed, the oak seemed out of place, and getting a lot of it on the nose and palate, with some anisette and cherry candy. I've had better vintages of this, for the price I can't complain much.
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2/8/2011 - jonysan wrote: 84 Points
Drank over a few days. Nice cocoa aroma. Loads of sour cherry, with dark berry, oak and a little herbiness on the finish. A bit disjointed tasting...lacked balance. Firm tannins and a medium finish.
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1/28/2011 - Sharonox wrote: 78 Points
Ng
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1/1/2011 - The Raven wrote: 85 Points
Started off nice but finished bitter.
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12/2/2010 - the godfather wrote:
really like this stuff, rocked with lebanese food
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12/2/2010 - JOsgood wrote: 90 Points
Gave this a 45 minute decanting. Dark ruby in color. Nose was a little tight. Lovely on the palate with good concentration. Nice finish. LAN wines are always a great value and food friendly.
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11/10/2010 - Michael6296 wrote: 88 Points
Big fruit right out of the bottle. Acid baby. At the Vineyard with all the wine snobs.
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10/19/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 87 Points
Dark fruits, talcum powder on nose; modern style. Dark, anise-inflected flavors; fairly extracted and a bit bitter but still likeable. Not much better than the crianza sample tasted today, and the crianza might have a better balance. Decent choice for its price range. 86-88 pts
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