Jay Kline

9.2

This is the Gran Reserva “Edición Limitada”.

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a garnet color with a transparent core and some significant rim variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated red and black fruits: cherries and raspberries with some red plum, old leather, old cedar chest, a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory.

Initial conclusions: this could be Sangiovese, Aglianico, or Cabernet Sauvignon (and based blends) from Italy, France or the United States. With the fruits and non-fruits presenting the way they were, the use of some new small format oak, throupled with the significant structure despite what was obvious age (I was thinking 40+ years), I went with Sangiovese from Italy, from Tuscany, from Chianti Classico, Riserva level from a modern leaning producer like Antinori, 1985. Damn…Tempranillo didn’t even cross my mind. I didn’t think the color was dark enough and I didn’t really get American oak the way I would expect with Rioja…but here we are. Now that I think about it, Antinori may not have using barrique back then. Perhaps I was trying to be too be too clever; I’ll learn from this. Regardless, I thought this was freaking delicious and showing really well! Fully mature but should enjoy this stage for the next ten years. Drink now through 2033. — 2 days ago

David White

9.3

Nice cherry ruby red colour with cherries and red fruit on the nose, silky balance of tannins on palate with minerality leading to a long satisfying finish
Excellent example of good old world wine making — 4 days ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.4

Incredible bottle of LRA — 10 days ago

Kristin Skomsøy

9.0

Kjøpt med hjem fra tax-free i Alicante — 3 days ago

romo

8.9

Called Rioja. Super-dill coconut give-away. — 3 days ago

Sean Grullon

9.3

Happy Easter! Uses a lot of new French oak, and it shows but it’s well-integrated. It tastes like a marriage between a California Cabernet and a classic rioja, modern in style but very good. Intense concentration, silky tannins on the palate with medium+ acidity. chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, spice, a bit of earth, and rich dark fruit that’s nearly jammy but not quite. — 10 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium garnet , quite pronounced terracotta , garnet rim . This is more closed on the nose , slightly darker , less fruited , more tobacco , earthy , iodine , mineral, dry spices . On the palate more intensity with fresher acidity and grippy tannin . Darker fruits , with cherry , blackcurrant , but with a strong seaside , oyster shell componente . Good length and very elegant , slightly tannic finish . This is quite serious and restrained, more complete and complex than the 2011. Needs a bit of time to open, probably better in a 3-5 years and will show well for a further 5-10. From magnum . — a month ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! — 3 days ago

Conrad Green

9.4

Very light and classy. Orange peel, roses, plum, tangy violet. Intense but light and a very pure. Long finish. Excellent (bottle pictured from library, not the one I drank) — 5 days ago

with Chris, Alec and 1 other

Noah Ross

9.0

Sight: Completely opaque, blood red, slight tawny. On nose: fruit forward, tobacco. On mouth: very smooth, full bodied, was difficult to taste fruits but strong oak and earthy presence. Might not have been at correct temperature. — 13 days ago