Sadly, this was badly corked. A shame as it was my last bottle.
Sadly, this was horribly corked (TCA). The note is included to see if this is a random episode or something others should be aware of.
I used to drink a lot of this wine and earlier vintages back in the day. Its been a while, but when a friend popped the cork, it was fun. Still a great wine. Ruby in color. The nose is earthy with slight barnyard. Cherries, slight dill, and slighter vanilla. On the palate, cherry fruit with a bit of cherry cough drops. Good acidity. Very food friendly. Softer texture. Nice depth. Seems to be drinking at or near peak but no hurry.
Great showing for this wine. This is 97% Tempranillo and 3% Graciano. This was tight on opening but with air gets a dusty nose followed by black cherries. This has firm tannins and is full bodied. Great texture. On the palate, black cherries with a bit of anise. Nice finish. This s drinking well now and should for another ten to fifteen years. It would probably better with some food, it worked well with cheeses and olives.
This is 100% Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. It is very traditional in style. It opened quickly before shutting down and was just starting to reopen when my glass was empty. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright. The nose has cherries, spice, slight vanilla and slighter anise. Medium bodied. Medium tannins. The cherries and anise come thru to the palate with a slight balsamic note. Good balance. Nice finish. Nice on its own but better with some food. A nice match for meatloaf with a tomato based sauce. Drink over the next five to eight years.