Last Sunday lunch with Roast Lamb. A 20 year old Rioja fitted the bill nicely. A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. Aged in new French and American oak for 24 months. Aromatics of tobacco leaf, plum, ashphalt and a bit of tar. A medicinal note the following night. The palate is medium to full bodied with berry, plum and liquorice. Resolved Tannins - quite fluid. This was Wine Spectators No. 1 wine for 2013 and now drinking at its peak but could go on for another 5 years on the evidence of this superb wine. — a month ago
For those who love Riojas, this is excellent. Tobacco, vanilla, and cherry are my favorites. — 17 hours ago
A lot of body and texture, with smooth tannin and not too dry — 13 days ago
Sempre interessante. Indovinato alla cieca 😁 — a month ago
Deep Ruby color with aromas of dark fruits, spice and toasty oak. On the palate flavors of cherry, blackberry and plum with spice, herbs, cacao, tobacco and toasty tones from 18 months of oak aging. Full ripe tannins you can bite into, long finish ending with fruit and an earthy toasty spice character. Nice! Will age! — 17 hours ago
Tempranillo tasting! Aromas of red cherry, red plum, muddy grass, and mushroom. Medium acid and body. Notes of leather, dried cherries, and slate. Longer, silky finish. — a month ago
De la soie! — 2 months ago
Jay Kline
Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine is a deep ruby color with a slightly purple hue; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of black and red fruit: Ranier cherries and blackberries along with some dried earth, soft wood notes, some faint baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (that seem to build) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and comes off a touch reserved in the end. Initial conclusions: this could be a Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Grenache-based blend or Bordeaux-blend from either Spain, Italy, France, the United States or Australia but the fruit doesn’t impress so I’m leaning away from the New World. I don’t get enough candied fruit to put me in the Southern Rhone and I think the oak treatment seems a bit liberal for that. And if this Sangiovese, I would be pissed. So I’m calling Tempranillo, from Spain, Rioja, Reserva, 2018. Daaaaang. I was close. Drink now with patience and enjoy through 2036.
— 17 days ago