I am astonished with the unexpected quality here. I paid ten bucks for this a long time ago and forgot about it in my cellar. Consensus was to drink by 2012. Popped and just poured. Thick honey nose and outstanding color. Loam and berry notes hit the mid-palate instantly. Long finish. A hint of petit verdot also. Had I tasted this blind, I would have run through quite a number of high quality above $40 bottles. The demerit is the acidity which seems awkwardly out of place in its development. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves in the glass over an hour or two and in the bottle overnight. I would have given it a few more points had the acidity been more appropriate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
N: MATURE, "natural" oxygenation*; LOTS there, but tough to parse
P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish "frt" NICELY counterbalanced by an acidity which slowly, fairly seamlessly, transitions into a LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the few, very, VERY fine, firming tannins. Drinking BEAUIIFULLY, & should hold for another 3 or 4 yrs, I'd guess. [*Some, however, felt showing signs of oxidation.] 13.5% ABV; My EXC. 84 pts WS (Tasted: 15-Oct-2009) & Bronze @ '09 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cherry and cedar on the nose and up front on the pallet, with smooth tannins and an okay finish. The wine, however, looses major points for having a pretty much absent mid-pallet. Light body overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
3/10/2019 - sonofabacchus Likes this wine: 90 Points
I am astonished with the unexpected quality here. I paid ten bucks for this a long time ago and forgot about it in my cellar. Consensus was to drink by 2012. Popped and just poured. Thick honey nose and outstanding color. Loam and berry notes hit the mid-palate instantly. Long finish. A hint of petit verdot also. Had I tasted this blind, I would have run through quite a number of high quality above $40 bottles. The demerit is the acidity which seems awkwardly out of place in its development. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves in the glass over an hour or two and in the bottle overnight. I would have given it a few more points had the acidity been more appropriate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 4 *shared* bottles] from 11/16/18] (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): THANK you for sharing this, Esther! :)
N: MATURE, "natural" oxygenation*; LOTS there, but tough to parse
P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish "frt" NICELY counterbalanced by an acidity which slowly, fairly seamlessly, transitions into a LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the few, very, VERY fine, firming tannins. Drinking BEAUIIFULLY, & should hold for another 3 or 4 yrs, I'd guess. [*Some, however, felt showing signs of oxidation.] 13.5% ABV; My EXC. 84 pts WS (Tasted: 15-Oct-2009) & Bronze @ '09 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2010 - MichaelMA wrote: 82 Points
Cherry and cedar on the nose and up front on the pallet, with smooth tannins and an okay finish. The wine, however, looses major points for having a pretty much absent mid-pallet. Light body overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2010 - Barry Notes wrote: 85 Points
A nice everyday Rioja. Good nose and balance. Great value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2010 - oc wrote: 84 Points
Lighter red, medium body and finish, cherries, framboise, and charcoal for a well structures mfinish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment