Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium deep ruby with quite a thin lightly garnet rim. Spiced dark cherry , with some sweet blackberry , raspberry , vanilla , cocoa , earthy leather and grafite . Quite young , dense and compacted on the nose. On the palate this quite intense with quite high acidity , slightly strict with lightly gritty tannins , cherry , blackberry , spiced raspberry , some touches of grafite , dried spices and leather . This is quite young , needs a little more time but is promising with good density , freshness and balance . Come back in 3-4 years and will drink well over the next 10-15 — a month ago

keke mollari

9.1

Romanian told me its good stuff, it is. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Bodegas Faustino – Faustino V Reserva
Tempranillo-based Blend 2018
DOCa Rioja – Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
A standout vintage combining freshness, balance, and precision. The 2018 shows the most complete expression among the last two vintages (v16 & v17), harmonizing fruit, oak, and structure beautifully.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh red berries, cherry, subtle vanilla, cedar, and refined spice with a lifted aromatic profile.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, polished tannins, and a beautifully balanced, lingering finish. More energetic and refined than prior vintages.

Food Pairings
Versatile, grilled meats, tapas, roasted vegetables, or even casual pairings.

Verdict
The most complete and balanced of the last two; Fresh, elegant, and structured this is the sweet spot vintage.

Did You Know?
2018 in Rioja is widely regarded as a balanced vintage, offering both freshness and aging potential, often outperforming expectations at this price tier. (I have also reviewed v16 & v17).

🍷 Personal Pick
The winner of the lineup, precision, freshness, and balance all in one. A textbook example of why Rioja Reserva remains one of the best value categories in the world. — 2 months ago

Akshay Venkitasubramanian

9.0

Simple light red - low on minerality with good structure — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2012 Rosado pours pink/salmon color with medium viscosity and no signs of sediment or particles. On the nose, the wine is developing with Maraschino cherry, dried apricot, coconut, dill, vanilla, and walnut. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium- tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Brilliant, soulful stuff. My first experience with the 2012 vintage. I hope there are many more to come. Drink now with patience (maybe even a decant) and through 2037. — 4 months ago

Mitchell Tubbs

9.0

Good, would buy again. Not too heavy not too light, good aftertaste. — 4 months ago

Jessica Knickerbocker

9.2

Quite good. Worth the $$ paid. — a month ago

Dave

9.1

This is delicious! Not made to age for the long haul, but it has a few years in it. Great cherry and raspberry flavors, smooth tannins. Just yummy, and I am inclined to like it better than the Muga I had earlier 😊
Listening to Gram Parsons — 2 months ago

Lynn Graham

8.9

2019 was a good vintage, full body and berry notes — a month ago

Cindy Glennon

9.3

NH Liquor store $17. Very enjoyable before & during paella dinner. Would drink again. — 2 months ago

Sagee Aran

9.2

A 10 year Rioja, drinking beautifully, all smooth, fresh nose with good fruits and a chewy mouth feel. Medium to full body, tasty — 2 months ago

Heather Rostker

9.2

Nice gran riserva — 3 months ago

with Emmett and Brian

Amanda Drazka

9.0

This full bodied reserva wine offers big aromas of cherry, black licorice and black pepper. It was tight upon opening but I let it breathe in the glass for an hour which allowed vanilla aromas to come through as well. It offers silky tannins that keep the structure and mellow out on the persistent finish. This wine has flavors of ripe cherry, black pepper and leather. This is a beautiful and complex wine that I think will be even better in a few years. — 4 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

4/2026. Good fruit with some spice. Full flavor that paired well with the dry aged ribeye at Halls Chophouse. — 2 months ago

Dave

9.1

Really dark fruit and a splash of mint. To quote Led Zeppelin and the legendary @Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego , you gotta whole lotta oak, you gotta whole lotta oak 🎶
Listening to Supersuckers — 2 months ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.4

Rare beef on the immediate nose.

94 points — 2 months ago

Chris MacLean

9.3

Big winner at dinner tonight — 3 months ago

with Alessandro, Sarah and 2 others

Akshay Venkitasubramanian

9.1

Took a few hours to open up but lovely bottle of rioja with balanced palate — 3 months ago

Mary H

9.2

Punchy crowpleaser: heavy, almost syrupy body with strong, bold flavors of oaky vanilla, ripe black cherry, and cinnamon spice. Smooth and round mouthfeel. Not terribly complex but a joy to drink. — 4 months ago

Jason MacLean

9.1

A very nice experience drinking this. Might have been a touch better 5-10 years ago around the 15-20 year mark (and was great around ‘08-‘12) but despite a disintegrated cork is still a very nice wine with a beef dish. Have one more of the ‘01 and will have to open it within the next year. — 4 months ago