La Rioja Alta 2007 Grand Reserva 904- cherry, forest spice, forest red and black berries, cinnamon, slight leather, mushrooms, bay leaf, dried herbs, sousbois, smooth drying resolved tannins that are fondue like, a small element of astringency. The color has fallen out yet very traditional style Rioja. — 7 years ago
VINTAGE: 2004
BOTTLE: 375ml
APPEARANCE: Deep red, garnet meniscus, viscous legs.
NOSE: Allspice, white pepper, bell pepper, dark fruits.
MOUTHFEEL: Round, medium - acidity, medium + tannins.
PALATE: Cinnamon, tomato leaf, leather, hints of vanilla.
FINISH: Long with sandalwood throughout and some cocoa at the very end.
NOTES: Picked this up in December of 2017, thinking the 375 bottle will have made this ready to drink immediately. Was not wrong, it is drinking well, but there is sufficient backbone left in this wine to age for many more years to come, even in a 375. Nice layers of complexity that were fun to tease out, but still many notes that I don’t yet have the ability to properly identify. I look forward to trying again with more years under its belt. — 8 years ago
A pretty color of ruby, with a wide brick/ reddish rim.
Full bodied and elegant.
Dry on the palate with medium acidity.
Showing red currants, plums, cherries, wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and black pepper.
Medium finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 15 year old Rioja Reserva is drinking very nicely now. Showing nice complexity at this point.
Still young and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. A very tasty aged Rioja, and a good food wine.
Robert Parker 95 points.
I Had this vintage a year ago, and it feels pretty much the same.
A blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano. Aged in used American oak barrels for 6 years.
13% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$55. — 2 years ago
Surprisingly youthful for 35y, served from a magnum.
Still deep in colour, with not much evolution towards the rim.
Uplifting aromatics with cigar box, tobacco leaf, cedar wood, some kirsch, but also some black currant jam.
Medium bodied on the palate with nice balance, the tannins still surprisingly grippy, though a touch dry.
Nicely poised, with good flow and high drinkability.
What a surprise! — 4 years ago
Vanilla is known as ‘the salt of the baking world’ and this wine embodies that. Velvety smooth vanilla, maybe black cherry or Concord grape, peppercorn, tea leaf. I was skeptical at first finding an 11 year old wine in 2021 that had bottle gimmicks like fake gold wire, but is worth the 30$CAD if you can find it! — 5 years ago
2011 might be a forgotten vintage but this CB is really memorable. Did a pop and pour and it had great aromatics straight away. Medium to full bodied. Velvety. Layered. Dark berries, herbs, black tea, licorice, bay leaf. First wine on the trip to France. Great start! — 2 years ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a wide red/brick rim.
Pretty nose of currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, herbs, light vegetables, pencil lead, light vinaigrette, olives, peppercorn, leather, tobacco leaf, earth and dark coffee.
Full bodied and elegant, with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with cooked black plums, ripen cherries, oak, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vanilla and black pepper.
Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Tuscany. Smooth with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel.
This 19 year old is Interesting and tasty. Not from the best vintage, but still very yummy, and at its peak right now.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 3 hours of airtime.
Thank you Judy for sharing this with me.
Robert Parker 92 points. Wine Enthusiasts 91 points.
I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 24 months in oak barrels (30% new).
14% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$350. — 4 years ago
From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 6 years ago
"Odedi"
It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!
Nice color of dark ruby with a reddish rim.
Fruity nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, earth and black tea.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, coffee, herbs, chocolates, light oak, licorice, spices, light earth, tobacco leaf and black pepper.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Saint Julien. Elegant and spicy. Fruit forward and chocolatey.
I've had a few vintages of this wine and it is very consistent and always delicious, especially with age.
This 7 year old 4th growth Bordeaux is starting to drink beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.
Well balanced, complex and interesting. Rich and inviting.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
A blend of 50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (60% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$150. — 9 months ago