Sadly, this was badly corked. A shame as it was my last bottle.
This is mostly Tempranillo but also has 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo (according to the label). This is everything one wants in a Gran Reserva including a reasonable price! Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries, slight sour cherries, balsamic vinegar, vanilla and forest floor. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Good balance. On the palate, this has a nice complexity and depth. Flavors of cherries, black cherries, wild herbs, spice and slight tobacco notes. Long finish. Mature but plenty of life left. Drink over the next fifteen years. This is great on its
This is a blend of 90% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo from Rioja in Spain. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cherries, vanilla, spice, and tea leaves. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Good balance. On the palate, cherries, slight charred cherries, spice and forest floor notes. Some complexity and depth. This shows some maturity but there is room for further development. Drink over the next ten to fifteen years. This is nice on its own and has an introspective quality but also will work well with food. A nice wine with stews or
Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries, dust, and slight cigar. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Moderate acidity. On the palate, black cherries with anise. Some depth. Long finish. Overall, a nice wine that will go well with stews or Chili. Drink over the next five years.
Another classic Rioja albeit a slightly more modern style. This is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. Ruby in color with a purple core, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is great with cherries, cedar, black cherries, forest floor, dust and chocolate. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Great balance. On the palate, this is delicious. Black cherries, tobacco and spice with some underlying char. Some chocolate comes out on the long finish. This is still young but already great. A couple more years in the cellar will be rewarded but this is fantastic drinking now. Drink over th
My first time trying this wine and it was quite enjoyable. Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose has cherries, spice and slight chocolate notes. Medium bodied. Light tannins. Good balance. On the palate, this drinks easy but there is also some depth. Cherries, with a slight char and the chocolate note comes thru as well. Nice finish. This drinks nicely on its own but should be very food friendly at the table. A nice match would be grilled sausages. Drink over the next seven to ten years. A very nice value.