2017 Bodegas del Medievo Rioja Reserva, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose  has cherries, dust, and slight cigar.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, black cherries with anise.  Some depth.  Long finish.  Overall, a nice wine that will go well with stews or Chili. Drink over the next five years.  

NV Marquis de Sade Rosado Brut Premium Cava, Spain, Wine Review

Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

Golden/pink in color with a slight mousse of medium bubbles.  The nose  is  nice with minerals, oranges and some apples.  Medium bodied.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate some apple cider notes with a touch of sweetness.  Solid finish.  This is easy to drink and probably a bit better with some fried appetizers. Drink now.  

2013 Comando G Rumbo al Norte, Spain, Vinos de Madrid, Sierra de Gredos, Wine Reivew

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$1200.00USD

Purchased at the winery back in 2017.  Gredos is in the mountains just west of Madrid, Spain.  It is 100% Garnacha grown at  high altitude.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is interesting with black cherries, cherries, some pomegranate, but also thyme and char.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  Not a blowsy wine but very persistent.  Black raspberries, black cherries, and cherries with underlying char and slight herbal note.  Complex and deep.  Long finish.  A unique Grenache that seems to exude its terroir.  It went

2020 Comando G La Bruja de Rozas, Spain, Madrid, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

Purchased at Foxcroft Wine Bar in Charlotte, NC.  This is 100% Garnacha (Grenache) from old wines in the mountains just west of Madrid.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, pomegranate, spice and wild herbs.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherries and spice.  There is some depth.  Long finish.  Tasty.  This is young but drinking nicely.  Good on its own or with food.  It would work well with Baked Ham.  

2004 Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero, Spain, Ribera del Duero, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is drinking well and seems to be at or possibly just pack peak.  It is a pretty modern take on Tempranillo but with some bottle age it shows traditionally.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cherries with spice and slight smoke.  Nice finish.  This is ageing gracefully and doesn't seem almost twenty years old.  That said, these should be drunk up at this point.  Nice on its own but better with food.  It would work well

Dominio Fournier 2019

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$29.99USD

Made from Tinta del Pais, this offers a lovely combination of huckleberry, green tea, blueberry, plum, light vanilla and charred wood notes. It was aged for a year in both French and some American oak. There is a lovely integration with the oak (vanilla) and the black fruit compote. The tannins support the structure of the wine and the acidity, though mild, reinforces the overall harmony. This is a very lovely wine, nothing dominates, but is seamlessly balanced. ORIGIN: Ribera del Duero, Spain. ALCOHOL: 14.5%

2001 Bodegas AAlto PS, Spain, Ribera del Duero, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$275.00USD

Bought on release and well stored.  On release, this was a very modern take on Tempranillo.  At age 22, it still drinks that way although it has calmed down and matured quite a bit since then.  Still drinking youthfully.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries with an earthy notes.  With air, more barnyard emerges (Brettanomyces) although not strong.  Full bodied.  Tannins are resolved.  On the palate, raspberries with black cherries and some kirsch.  A bit of char as well.  Long, slightly drying finish.  Complex and deep, this won't get better but shou

2018 Roger Goulart Cava Gran Reserva Extra Brut, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This cava is a blend of 35% Chardonnay, 35% Xarel·lo, 15% Macabeo, and 15% Parellada.  Light golden in color, clear and bright with a nice mousse of medium sized bubbles.  The nose has seltzer, slight diesel notes (which blew off with air), almonds and green apples.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has  a nice complexity to it.  Lemons, grapefruit, yeast and slight minerals.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Hard to beat this for value in sparkling wine.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  Paella would be an obvious choice.  Drink over the next few years.  

2019 Bodegas El Coto Rioja Crianza, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

This is a lighter, but traditional, Rioja.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is a bit earthy with fresh cherries and a whiff of tobacco.  Light to medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, flavors of cherries with a bit of char.  Anise on the finish.  This drinks easily and should for the next five to seven years.  Nice on its own, this would be a great mid week meatloaf or pizza wine.  

2021 Bodegas El Coto Rioja Rosado, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

This is a Rosé from Spain that is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha.  It is Salmon pink/copper in color, clear and bright.  The nose is interesting with a slight orange/citrus note along with cherries, strawberries and a very slight vanilla note.  (As an aside, both this and the Blanco had a vanilla note, but it does not appear the wines so oak, so where does it come from?).  Medium bodied with a slightly oily texture.  On the palate, lots of fresh cherries, some cranberries and slight red currants.  A bitter almond note on the finish.  This is refreshing and a lovely wine to serv

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