With its dried-cherry and rose-petal aromas and flavors, this beautiful, mature red is every bit the equivalent of a fine, older Bordeaux or Burgundy. Cumin and cinnamon show on the palate and the refined finish is lovely, with anise and white pepper accents.
— W.E.
(5/1/2001)
Deep, sweet dark-cherry fruit forms a solid foundation for this impressive wine. There’s a touch of menthol oak on the nose; plenty of leather and earth accents in the mouth, coupled with good acidity, keep the palate complex and lively. Finishes long, with full—but not harsh—tannins. Editors’ Choice.
— W.E.
(5/1/2001)
Beautifully balanced, this shows all the positive attributes of mature Rioja. Though 30 years old, it is still very alive, with deep sweet fruit that wears tobacco and meat accents. Anise accents the ultrasmooth palate. Full of complex flavors, with a lingering finish.
— W.E.
(5/1/2001)
A lean, structured wine of great elegance and finesse. Begins with aromas of leather and vanilla, folding hints of plum, coffee, earth and pepper. Tarter and redder on the finish, with cranberry and herb notes lingering delicately. Substantially better than a bottle reviewed in the March issue.
— W.E.
(5/1/2004)
This aged wine hits most of the right keys. It’s sexy and racy on the bouquet, with tobacco, orange peel, rooty cherry and tree bark aromas. It’s a bit sharp and lean in the mouth at this point, with flavors of tomato, raisin, dry berry, cocoa and spice. Gets more acidic as it sits. Drink or hold.
— M.S.
(2/1/2012)
Sweet cherry and dried-rose notes on the nose are offset by some noticeable barnyardy scents. Elegant, but less generous on the palate and decidedly drier than the much older 1970, this finishes with dry tannins.
— W.E.
(5/1/2001)
This is classic Rioja Reserva, with textbook cherry, earth, leather and meaty Tempranillo flavors supported by a good acid spine and moderate tannins. The elegant finish is dry and spicy.
— W.E.
(5/1/2001)
Medium-weight and plump in the mouth, with mature aromas and flavors of tobacco, coffee, vanilla and cherry. Picks up hints of anise on the long finish. Drink now.
— W.E.
(5/1/2004)