Bodegas Faustino
Gran Reserva Faustino I Rioja Tempranillo Blend
La Rioja, Spain
Aged just right. Soft vanilla and round cherry-dust.
Aged just right. Soft vanilla and round cherry-dust.
Oct 5th, 2018
Haven’t had this vintage in 5 years., and the extra 5 years of aging makes a difference.
I also had the 1994 exactly a year ago, and it’s even better than that.
Great value considering how aged it is. Smooth. Berry bonanza.
I play a game with my wife where she picks a bottle from my cabinet while I grill a steak (in this case, a 1.25kg dry aged porterhouse) and I blind taste the wine and tell her what it is. We made a bet that if I got the correct bottle (out of over 50) that she had to go and spend $150 on a bottle. If I got it wrong, I couldn’t shop at the LCBO for two weeks (that’s like a year for anyone else).
I guessed old world. Spanish. Approx 10 years old... but thought it was a 2010 Cune Gran Reserva.
Aka... #2WeekBanFromTheLCBO
Haven’t had this vintage in 5 years., and the extra 5 years of aging makes a difference.
I also had the 1994 exactly a year ago, and it’s even better than that.
Great value considering how aged it is. Smooth. Berry bonanza.
I play a game with my wife where she picks a bottle from my cabinet while I grill a steak (in this case, a 1.25kg dry aged porterhouse) and I blind taste the wine and tell her what it is. We made a bet that if I got the correct bottle (out of over 50) that she had to go and spend $150 on a bottle. If I got it wrong, I couldn’t shop at the LCBO for two weeks (that’s like a year for anyone else).
I guessed old world. Spanish. Approx 10 years old... but thought it was a 2010 Cune Gran Reserva.
Aka... #2WeekBanFromTheLCBO
Bing cherry color in the glass with a ruby rim. Just the barest touch of bricking but certainly nothing to be concerned about. Spice and red fruit dominate this nose with black pepper and cherries leading the way. Fresh cut tomatoes, plums, and lavender show up too.
Showing pretty well at this age with no discernible defects. In fact, the fruit is fresh and lively. It’s not an overly complicated wine but it is classy. As much as an old reliable as there can be, it’s silky on the tongue with firm tannins. Vanilla, oak, and damp moss on the palate. This is a winner and reliable as all hell. Pretty stuff.
Bing cherry color in the glass with a ruby rim. Just the barest touch of bricking but certainly nothing to be concerned about. Spice and red fruit dominate this nose with black pepper and cherries leading the way. Fresh cut tomatoes, plums, and lavender show up too.
Showing pretty well at this age with no discernible defects. In fact, the fruit is fresh and lively. It’s not an overly complicated wine but it is classy. As much as an old reliable as there can be, it’s silky on the tongue with firm tannins. Vanilla, oak, and damp moss on the palate. This is a winner and reliable as all hell. Pretty stuff.
Outstanding Rioja, 15 years old, velvet smooth, fruit and tannins , long finish
Outstanding Rioja, 15 years old, velvet smooth, fruit and tannins , long finish
Apr 11th, 2020
Like a very good crianza, but a bit basic for a gran reserva.
Like a very good crianza, but a bit basic for a gran reserva.
Oct 12th, 2019
Killer wine, especially at the price point. Dried black cherries, plums, baking spices, dried tobacco, dried leather, eucalyptus, dust and smoke. Nice grippy tannins on the palate, but with a certain suave finesse that belies its age. Delicious.
Killer wine, especially at the price point. Dried black cherries, plums, baking spices, dried tobacco, dried leather, eucalyptus, dust and smoke. Nice grippy tannins on the palate, but with a certain suave finesse that belies its age. Delicious.
Jul 7th, 2019
Full body. Dry but not overly so. Opened nicely. Mostly black cherries, strawberries, and blackberries on the palate with some nice spicy undertones.
Full body. Dry but not overly so. Opened nicely. Mostly black cherries, strawberries, and blackberries on the palate with some nice spicy undertones.
Sep 13th, 2018