carmen

10

fantastic light bodied chilled tempranilllo - it’s fruity with notes of strawberry and cherry, slightly nutty. it’s got some nice residue that adds some texture but not quite funky, more creates a minerality to it. other than that, pretty clean, no tannins, not very acidic either. it was paired with prawns and fried shrimp. — 3 months ago

ESF

9.0

Not quite as stunning as the 2010 I had recently, but still represents an incredible QPR - this is a very forward / intl style Rioja, reminds me of a wine made by Valsacro - very generous & actually presents like a Bordeaux. Gobs of dark fruit, cacao, lead pencil, sweet spice, vanilla, etc. This lacked some suave character but maybe just needs more time. — 3 years ago

Shengli Hu

8.9

Ruben Diaz Cerro de la Estrella. Ripe and tart blueberry and plum. Iron, clove, mint, and bay leaves. Stony minerality. In between ruby and garnet. More juicy red plum and red cherry on the palate. Low acidity, medium (+) tannins, elevated body (14.5% abv). — 5 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

8.9

Vintage 2020 | lavender and violets, very civilized smell, minerality — 6 months ago

Jody Scharf

9.4

This is really good. I need more. — 2 years ago

Rich Bluth

8.9

solid wine, more tannic than some i’ve had. would definitely recommend. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This is blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Tempranillo. Cool climate, high altitude.

The nose shows ruby, ripe, elegant fruits; blackberries, blue fruits, dark cherries, black raspberries and some strawberries on the edges of the glass. There is a creaminess about the fruits. Some sweet tarry notes, black licorice, light baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, soft elegant spices, dark rich soil and amazingly, beautiful red, blue & purples florals.

The body is rich and full. Gorgeous mouthfeel. The tannins are; soft, round & velvety with fine powder. The fruits are, round, ripe and beautiful; blackberries, blue fruits, dark cherries, black raspberries, touch of black plum and some strawberries. There is a creaminess about the fruits, as well as, some rustic quality from the 20% Tempranillo. Some sweet tarry notes, black licorice, light baking spices, vanilla, cinnamon, soft elegant darker beautiful more pronounced spice on the palate vs. the nose, nice soft herbaceous notes, dark rich soil, some fine dry rock powder and amazingly, beautiful red, blue & purples florals.

Photos of, the cone shaped tanks that Jeff’s (shown in the photo) partner and Winemaker Alejandro invented. The cone shape along with a mess grater the fits up top keeps the cap or hat-sombrero (expression used here) moist. This avoids punch downs creating more elegance and better florals in the wine. Both Jeff & Alejandro worked at Catena Zapata for 15 years before starting their own project. Their partial barrel room and Jeff (Co-Owner) hosting our tasting. This was a excellent visit and bottle to end our producer visits on. Thank you Jeff for all your time, shared knowledge and this bottle for our dinner tonight.

@Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher
This is the real deal if you can find it. @Shay A
Luis-Parker 96. $50 was the release price. Such a steal. — 6 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.6

At the 30 min decant mark starts to open up that floral cab franc nose. Really lovely cab franc/sauv blend. Super smooth, silky mouthfeel. Holding together perfectly. Dark fruit, bit of charcoal, camphor, lavender. Fruit coming out more with time in the glass. Great wine! — 7 months ago

Charles Steinbruegge

9.0

Delicious .. more full-bodied than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise.

Great value.
— 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.0

Drinking well now, this is a well composed wine that typifies Rioja. I first had this about six years ago, and really enjoyed it. This time round, it’s of course more mature, but perhaps falls somewhat short on the finish. The nose is absolutely knockout - it smells much more than the £15 that I paid for it - but on the palate it doesn’t quite live up to it. Still, a very pleasant drink. — 5 years ago