3/12. Deep garnet, fully ruby at the core. Nose of church pews, dark red fruit and a pinch of spice. Densely silky. Red fruit, tobacco, spice but not yet in to the orange peel part of the spectrum. Very smooth. ****
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Deep garnet, fully ruby at the core. Fine velvet. Red fruit, tobacco, spice but not yet in to the orange peel part of the spectrum. Very smooth and worryingly drinkable, this is a step up from last year’s bottle. Looking forward to the next... ****
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The Return to San Sebastian; 5/17/2019-5/18/2019 (San Sebastian, Spain): Opened and left to rest for a good half hour. Much like the 1991 Imperial we had the day before ( Papies 91) this had a solid core of oak, sweet and smoke american oak which in a way is currently overwhelming the wine. Maybe this like the Imperial needs time to evolve and assimilate the oak. Good 91 for now.
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Deep garnet, still ruby at the core to more orange at the rim. Quite dark and dense red fruit with a hint of tobacco and warm spice. Quite a bit of sediment. A little more surly and firmly tannined than expected. Quite bright. Drinks well but good rather than great. Bare ****
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Cork broke. Poured into decanter. Drank at home. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby going garnet colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of bloody animal meat, earth, mushroom, old books, dark red cherries, plum. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol (13%), integrated medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of dusty earth, mushroom, animal meat, blood iron minerality, red plums, dark red cherries. Medium+ finish. Warm, plush, comforting mouth-feel. With more air in decanter, smoky sweet nutty caramel. Very good quality. Very good vintage in Rioja. Drinking very well now if you like the combination of fruit plus tertiary notes. Vina Real has a higher percentage of Garnacha as compared to CVNE's other flagship label - Imperial.
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Medium/deep garnet mahogany, wide mahogany rim. Nose shows smoky red fruit, touch of leather, earth and mint. Medium bodied, on the austere side, though not to the extent of leanness, red fruit, tobacco, decent depth, some firm (but not overly rustic) tannin, fresh acidity, medium/good length finish. Classic, decent, if not out of the top draw.
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There are younger tempranillos which give me more pleasure. Quite woody, still holding some tannins, and I think would benefit from a bit more fruit. Not up to my anticipation. But a lovely wine, make no mistake.
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12/22/2022 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
3/12. Deep garnet, fully ruby at the core. Nose of church pews, dark red fruit and a pinch of spice. Densely silky. Red fruit, tobacco, spice but not yet in to the orange peel part of the spectrum. Very smooth. ****
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4/22/2021 - asparagus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Right in the zone, but should still be able to go on for at least a decade
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5/11/2020 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet, fully ruby at the core. Fine velvet. Red fruit, tobacco, spice but not yet in to the orange peel part of the spectrum. Very smooth and worryingly drinkable, this is a step up from last year’s bottle. Looking forward to the next... ****
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5/18/2019 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
The Return to San Sebastian; 5/17/2019-5/18/2019 (San Sebastian, Spain): Opened and left to rest for a good half hour.
Much like the 1991 Imperial we had the day before ( Papies 91) this had a solid core of oak, sweet and smoke american oak which in a way is currently overwhelming the wine. Maybe this like the Imperial needs time to evolve and assimilate the oak. Good 91 for now.
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4/20/2019 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet, still ruby at the core to more orange at the rim. Quite dark and dense red fruit with a hint of tobacco and warm spice. Quite a bit of sediment. A little more surly and firmly tannined than expected. Quite bright. Drinks well but good rather than great. Bare ****
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2/25/2017 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 92 Points
Cork broke. Poured into decanter. Drank at home.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby going garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of bloody animal meat, earth, mushroom, old books, dark red cherries, plum. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol (13%), integrated medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of dusty earth, mushroom, animal meat, blood iron minerality, red plums, dark red cherries. Medium+ finish. Warm, plush, comforting mouth-feel. With more air in decanter, smoky sweet nutty caramel.
Very good quality. Very good vintage in Rioja. Drinking very well now if you like the combination of fruit plus tertiary notes.
Vina Real has a higher percentage of Garnacha as compared to CVNE's other flagship label - Imperial.
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9/25/2016 - Paul D wrote: 88 Points
Medium/deep garnet mahogany, wide mahogany rim. Nose shows smoky red fruit, touch of leather, earth and mint. Medium bodied, on the austere side, though not to the extent of leanness, red fruit, tobacco, decent depth, some firm (but not overly rustic) tannin, fresh acidity, medium/good length finish. Classic, decent, if not out of the top draw.
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6/29/2014 - Too much practice. wrote: 87 Points
There are younger tempranillos which give me more pleasure. Quite woody, still holding some tannins, and I think would benefit from a bit more fruit. Not up to my anticipation. But a lovely wine, make no mistake.
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