TN: Modern Riojas and Ribera del Dueros - tons of oak, alcohol and extraction

I guess the title says it all.

In February we had this Spanish tasting in which we had some red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero (and a few odd wines from Toro, Priorat and Bierzo). Everybody else seemed to be quite thrilled about the wines except for me and one of my friends - we were there in the name of pure academic curiosity, not for the love of this style of wine.

I admit that some of these wines were surprisingly nice for the style - in this case meaning noticeably ripe, concentrated and quite extracted style with quite a bit of oak influence - but for the most part the wines were just way too overdone for my taste. I guess I must’ve ruined my taste by drinking only thin, green and mean AFWE wines, because virtually all these wines were lacking finesse, freshness and complexity; wines made for people who equate ripeness, concentration and amount of new oak with quality.

Fortunately we also had a handful of R. LĂłpez de Heredia wines to remind us how a classic, well-made Rioja tastes like.

We had LĂłpez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva Blanco 2004, Tondonia Gran Reserva Rosado 2009 and Alejandro Fernandez Pesquera Crianza 2016 as a blind trio for starts:
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Here’s the lineup of the core tasting:
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And here are the random bottles we opened after the tasting proper:
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6 Likes

The three blinds:

  • 2004 R. LĂłpez de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    A blend of Viura (90%) and Malvasía Riojana (10%) from Viña Tondonia vineyard harvested in mid-October. After the spontaneous fermentation, the wine is aged for 6 years in predominantly old American oak barrels and bottled unfiltered in 2011. Labeled “Reserva”, although the wine is effectively a Gran Reserva. 12,5% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity. Total production 35,000 bottles. Tasted blind.

Developed, moderately deep golden yellow color. Sweet, complex and moderately evolved nose with layered aromas of caramel, some rich creamy notes of vanilla custard, a little bit of dried stone fruits, light oxidative nuances of nuttiness, a hint of smoke and a touch of crema Catalana. The wine feels rich, moderately evolved and very balanced on the palate with flavors of bruised apple, some oxidative notes of chopped walnuts, light evolved nuances of caramel, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of dried dill and a touch of tangy salinity. A subtly metallic nuance peeks through every now and then. The overall feel is rather high in acidity, which keeps the wine enjoyably fresh and wonderfully in balance. The finish is lively, long and acid-driven with attractively complex flavors of bruised apple and apple peel bitterness, some nutty oxidative tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of sorrel and a touch of rich, creamy vanilla custard.

A beautiful, harmonious and seductive old-school Rioja Blanco. My initial guess of Viña Tondonia Reserva was correct, but I guessed a vintage from the 1990’s as this wine felt somewhat heavier and more evolved than the bottle I had last summer - I guess there might be a little bit of bottle variation going on here. Although this was slightly less lean and subtly more oxidative, the wine was still as lovely as ever - perhaps even better, shoving even a bit more richness and aged complexity. Unlike with the previous bottle, I wouldn’t say that this wine was aging at a glacial pace, but more according to how I’d expect it to age. Even though the wine is starting to show some signs of age, I can imagine it will continue to improve for a good number of years. Terrific. (93 pts.)

  • 2009 R. LĂłpez de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 13% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity. Total production 14,000 bottles. Decanted for 5-6 hours before tasting the wine. Tasted blind.

Moderately deep onion skin color with a reddish coppery core and brick-red highlights. Slightly restrained and subtly sweet nose with layered aromas of oxidative caramel character, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe white fruits, light notes of clay, a surprisingly youthful hint of sweet strawberry gummi candies and a touch of vanilla. The wine is fresh and medium-bodied on the palate with fine-tuned and complex flavors of ripe white fruits and developed creaminess, some toffee, a little bit of bruised apple, light stony mineral tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of sweet oak spice. A subtle nuance of something metallic peeks through every now and then. The overall feel is wonderfully harmonious and layered, and the rather high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The wine is long, somewhat evolved and wonderfully acid-driven with layered flavors of wild strawberry, some Tawny Port-ish caramel tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light evolved nuances of apple core, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of crema catalana.

A beautiful, classic and wonderfully complex Rioja Clarete. However, even though the wine calls for some decanting, as it can come across as somewhat muted right after pop’n’pour, I’m not sure if this wine showed its best after 6 hours of breathing - it was still wonderfully complex and enormously rewarding, but it seemed somewhat distant and lacking slightly in vibrancy, compared to the bottles I’ve tasted after a short decant. So maybe 6 hours for this rosé is a bit too much. Nevertheless, the wine was pretty easy to recognize, as my guess was Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva - although I guessed it was vintage 2010, instead of 2009. Outrageous value for the quality at 27,50€. Drinks well now, but will continue to improve for many, many more years in a cellar. (94 pts.)

Quite youthful and slightly translucent, luminous black-ish ruby red color. Big, inky and slightly sweetish nose with aromas of blueberries, some toasty mocha oak, a little bit of strawberry, light plummy tones, a little bit of vanilla and a sweet, herbal nuance of dill. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and extracted on the palate with sweet-toned flavors of chocolatey oak, boysenberries, some vanilla, a little bit of overripe blackcurrant, light notes of blood, a little bit of mocha coffee and an extracted hint of woody bitterness. The overall feel is quite lush and hedonistic, although the moderately high acidity keeps the wine relatively nicely in balance. The ample tannins feel very soft and gentle at first, but they do slowly pile up on the gums, bringing in some welcome sense of firmness. The finish is long, intense and chewy with a little bit of tannic grip and lush flavors of ripe blackcurrant, some coffee chocolate, a little bit of American oak vanilla spice, light extracted notes of woody bitterness, a hint of succulent plummy fruit and a touch of blood.

A voluptuous and hedonistic Ribera del Duero wine with a quite oak-heavy, modernist feel to it. Lush and chewy. It didn’t take long to guess Ribera del Duero and immediately somebody else guessed Pesquera, so I guess the wine was pretty typical for the house style. There is some sense of balance here, but the wine is just too darn big and oaky for my taste. Fortunately the wine feels like it is built to age, so hopefully the oak will integrate with the fruit if given enough time. Drink after +10 years. (88 pts.)

Then on to the main tasting:

  • 2004 R. LĂłpez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    A blend of Tempranillo (80%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the El Bosque vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in oak fermenters, aged for 5 years in barrels and then for a further 3 years in bottles before release. 13,5% alcohol.

Quite deep, somewhat translucent and slightly evolved dark ruby color. Somewhat restrained and quite savory nose with nuanced and slightly evolved aromas of wizened bilberries, some leather, a little bit of earthy garrigue, light sweet notes of dried figs, a hint of savory old wood spice and a touch of damp soil. The wine is lively, suave and enjoyably acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and focused, savory flavors of sour cherries, blood, some old leather, a little bit of savory wood spice, light sweet notes of dried dark fruits, a hint of tart lingonberries and a touch of ripe red forest fruits. Wonderful sense of harmony here. Bright, high acidity and firm yet gentle and silky tannins. The finish is lively, long and harmonious with some tannic grip and layered flavors of wizened strawberries, some dark plummy fruit, a little bit of meaty umami, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of earth and a faint touch of vanilla.

A very harmonious, complex and attractive Viña Bosconia. It’s hard for me to say which one is better, the more brooding and sinewy 2004 Tondonia Reserva or this brighter, more delicate 2004 Bosconia Reserva. It might be that Tondonia Reserva wins by a hair’s breadth, but these are both immensely lovely wines. Tasted alongside Bosconia 2005, and although the 2005 vintage showed a bit more fruit and flesh, I preferred the nuance and finesse here. One of the greatest released vintages of Bosconia on this side of millennium. Silly value at 20€. Highly recommended. (94 pts.)

  • 2005 R. LĂłpez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    A blend of Tempranillo (80%), Garnacha (15%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the grapes sourced from the El Bosque vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in oak fermenters, aged for 5 years in barrels and then for a further 3 years in bottles before release. 13,5% alcohol.

Medium-deep, moderately translucent dark ruby red color. Fragrant, somewhat evolved and slightly sweet-toned nose with vibrant aromas of strawberries and black cherries, some wizened red plums, a little bit of dried figs, light tertiary notes of meatiness, a little bit of earth and a hint of sweet oak spice. The wine is moderately full-bodied, rich and somewhat evolved on the palate with layered flavors of strawberry-driven red fruit, some savory woody spice, a little bit of solar plummy fruit and ripe figs, light toasty notes of sweeter oak spice, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of leathery funk. The structure relies on both the moderately high acidity and ripe, textural tannins. The finish is juicy, somewhat grippy and complex with sunny and slightly evolved flavors of strawberries and ripe red plums, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light leathery tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a developed touch of meaty umami.

A rich, balanced and complex vintage of Viña Bosconia Reserva that is still going strong and most likely on an upward trajectory for many more years. Comparing this to the vintage 2004 that was tasted alongside, this 2005 vintage felt sunnier, sweeter in fruit and also - surprisingly - slightly richer in oak tones, both in savory woody nuances as in sweeter, toasty oak spice characteristics. Structurally this wine was slightly more tannic with its firm yet quite friendly grip, but also slightly softer with a bit lower acidity. Tasting the wines side-by-side, it was obvious they were cut from the same cloth, but I must admit that I preferred the 2004 vintage a bit more - just as I did tasting the same wines side-by-side four years ago. Nevertheless, this is a terrific, old-school Rioja that is slightly more delicate (and perhaps more versatile as a food wine) than the brooding and more serious Viña Tondonia Reserva 2005. A bargain at 20€. Highly recommended. (93 pts.)

  • 2005 Artadi Viñas de Gain - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    100% Tempranillo. The grapes are crushed and cold-soaked for a few days before fermentation. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel for approximately two weeks. Aged for a year in French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol.

Quite deep, somewhat translucent blackish-red ruby color. Somewhat evolved, layered nose with complex aromas of beef jerky and smoke, some wizened dark plums, a little bit of olive, light nuances of dried figs, a sweeter hint of developed, pruney fruit and a herbal touch of dried oregano. The wine is ripe, silky and moderately full-bodied on the palate with moderately evolved flavors of wizened dark plums, some savory meaty tones, a little bit of earth, light sweet nuances of ripe blackcurrant, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of mocha chocolate. The overall feel is quite balanced with the rather high acidity and ample yet rather resolved and soft tannins. The finish is long, juicy and somewhat tertiary with sweetish flavors of wizened red plums, some olive, a little bit of dark pruney fruit, light meaty nuances of umami, a toasty hint of cocoa oak and a touch of boysenberry marmalade.

A rather modern Rioja at its peak now. Although the wine is still fully alive and very enjoyable, it feels as though the wine is a bit past its peak; it doesn’t feel oxidative or particularly flat in any way, but I can imagine this must’ve been more vibrant and intense a few years ago, yet showing similar, evolved complexity. The “international” nuances of sweet, very ripe and rather plummy/blackcurrant-driven fruit and toasty oak notes are certainly there and I doubt they will ever disappear - at least not before the wine is long gone. This is pretty enjoyable for what it is and I did enjoy the savory, evolved qualities here, but I must admit that this kind of ripe, sweet-toned and rather oak-driven style of Rioja feels a bit blocky to me and isn’t really my cup of tea. Nevertheless, at 19,90€ this is solid value. (88 pts.)

  • 2005 Pujanza Rioja Norte - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    A single-vineyard Rioja composed mainly of Tempranillo with some Garnacha and Graciano. Aged for 14-15 months in new French oak barriques. 14% alcohol.

Quite deep, extracted and rather opaque blackish-red color. Brooding, dark-toned and somewhat sweetish nose with slightly international aromas of wizened black cherries, some blueberries, a little bit of sweet, chocolatey mocha oak, light herbal notes of thyme and garrigue, a hint of prunes and a savory touch of woody spice. The wine is silky, sunny and quite chewy on the palate with a moderately full body and lush, textural flavors of sweet bilberries and very ripe blackcurrant, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of milk chocolate, light herbal notes of thyme, a hint of coffee oak and a touch of cherry marmalade. The structure relies more on the ample and moderately grippy tannins than on the balanced yet somewhat soft, medium-to-moderately high acidity. The finish is long, rich and gently grippy with flavors of sweet dark plums, some toasty cocoa oak, a little bit of developed meaty umami, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of blackcurrant jam and a touch of extracted woody bitterness.

A tasty and accessible but also very international and rather monolithic modernist Rioja that doesn’t come across as that Spanish. Honestly, this would be quite difficult to guess correctly as a Rioja wine in a blind tasting, since this feels as much like a Napa Cab or Aussie Shiraz to me as it does feel modern Spanish red. It is pleasant and enjoyable in its own, blockbuster-y way, but I really don’t seem to get these wines. I can happily drink the wine if somebody pours me this, but it really doesn’t show any qualities that would make me want to fill my cellars with it. I doubt the wine has been much more interesting in its youth, either. Feels way overpriced for its quality at 49,90€ - if I want a massively big, extracted and heavily oaked Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero seems to do the thing better at lower price. (87 pts.)

  • 2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva Culmen - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (13.2.2021)
    An old-vine Rioja from 40-60 yo vines growing in 5,3-hectare vineyard Pago El Rincón, located at the altitude of 490 meters a.s.l. Mainly Tempranillo (85-90%) with some Graciano. Fermented in tronconic oak vats, aged for two years in new French oak barriques. 14% alcohol. Bottled in a ludicrous bottle that stills weighs 1,35 kg when it’s completely empty.

Somewhat translucent, deep yet not dark black cherry color. Big, brooding and rather dark-toned nose with somewhat sweet-toned aromas of toasty oak spice, ripe dark plums, some earthy tones, a little bit of sweet blueberry juice, light notes of mocha coffee, a hint of allspice and a touch of pipe tobacco. Rich, full-bodied and rather extracted on the palate with bold, dark-toned flavors of ripe dark plums, some sour cherries, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, light sweet notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of farmhouse funk and a touch of sweet blueberries. Although very big, the wine comes across as enjoyably structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is lively, rich and moderately grippy with juicy and somewhat oaky finish with flavors of ripe dark plums and slightly wizened dark berries, some chocolatey cocoa oak, a little bit of earth, light sweet notes of toasted wood, a hint of new leather and a touch of pipe tobacco.

A big, extracted and quite international wine. Not particularly “Rioja” in style, but still sits firmly in the stylistic spectrum of modern, oak-forward Tempranillo. If served blind, I would’ve placed this happily in Ribera del Duero. Nevertheless, for such a big blockbuster, I found the wine rather balanced and enjoyable for what it is. For many people this was the wine of the evening, but for me it was way too big, ripe and oaky. Nevertheless, the high quality and sense of balance is certainly there. The wine shows surprisingly little age for one clocking at +15 years of age, so I can imagine this will continue to improve for many years more. If you know you’re expecting a modern bruiser and not a traditional Rioja red, this is actually relatively good an effort. (92 pts.)

Moderately evolved pomegranate red color with a tertiary brick-red hue. Spicy, toasty and rather powerful nose with aromas of licorice, savory woody spice, some mocha oak, a little bit of sweet plummy fruit, light smoky notes of toasted wood, a hint of freshly ground coffee and a touch of earth. The wine is rich, full-bodied and quite powerful on the palate with somewhat sweet-toned flavors of juicy dark plums, some extracted woody bitterness, a little bit of mocha oak, light cooling minty tones, a hint of boysenberry jam and a touch of sweet cocoa. The mouthfeel is rather warm and quite tightly-knit thanks to the ample, grippy tannins. The structure seems to rely more on the firm tannic structure than on the medium-to-moderately high acidity which is a bit lacking in relation to the big, concentrated fruit. The finish is juicy, moderately grippy and quite long with rather sweet flavors of plums, mocha oak, some milk chocolate tones, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, light jammy notes of boysenberries, a hint of earth and a touch of boozy alcohol.

A juicy and very modern Tempranillo bruiser. Impressive in its huge size and admittedly very powerful expression, but this feels more like a wine that is not singing but just screaming at full power without any nuances. I can imagine some people can be wooed by this kind of massive power, because it’s quite easy to get and fills your mouth, but I can’t really find much interest here. This is not bad in any way, but it really shows nothing that would warrant a high score. However, at 19,90€ this was a good purchase. (87 pts.)

Somewhat evolved and gently translucent blackish ruby-red color. Juicy, dark-toned and rather sweetish nose with aromas of licorice root, leather, some sweet toasty oak spice, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant and juicy red plum, light cedary tones, sweet oaky hints of cocoa and smoke and a touch of blueberry juice. The wine is ripe, rich and somewhat soft on the palate with a full body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of very ripe plums and blueberries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of jammy boysenberry, light toasty notes of cocoa and mocha, a hint of blackcurrant juice and a slightly bitter touch of extracted woody spice. The structure relies mostly on the rather extracted and quite grippy tannins as the medium acidity feels slightly insufficient to carry all this ripe fruit. The finish is powerful and quite grippy yet rather soft and sweet-toned with a long and very ripe aftertaste of blueberries and sweet blackcurrants, some savory oak spice, a little bit of cocoa oak, light evolved notes of dried dates, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a touch of coffee chocolate.

A rather big, fat and ponderous Ribera del Duero. Lots of very ripe and sweet fruit and rather overdone oak with very little in the way of freshness and balance. Fortunately the alcohol here doesn’t feel completely overblown, but otherwise the wine is just too blowzy and ponderous for my taste. It is still youthful for its age, but I doubt any further aging will make the wine feel any more balanced. This is a textbook example why I amn’t particularly thrilled about Ribera del Duero wines. Overpriced for its quality at 29,90€. (84 pts.)

  • 2004 Bodegas Peñalba LĂłpez Ribera del Duero Cyclo - Spain, Castilla y LeĂłn, Ribera del Duero (13.2.2021)
    A blend composed mainly of Tempranillo (95%) with the remainder rounded out by Garnacha and Tempranillo Blanco. Aged for 15 months in French oak barriques. 14% alcohol.

Extracted, moderately developed and almost fully opaque blackish-red color. Somewhat evolved nose with aromas of wizened red fruits and figs, some raisiny tones, a little bit of phenolic clove-driven spice, light bretty notes of leather, a hint of barnyard funk and a touch of vanilla oak. The wine is rich, supple and full-bodied on the palate with bold flavors of plummy dark fruits, some toasty oak notes of dark chocolate and mocha, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness and phenolic spice, light sweet notes of pruney fruit, a hint of tar-flavored candy and a funky touch of bretty leather. The alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. It’s hard to assess the acidity here as the voluptuous body seems to override most of the acidity, making the wine feel silky and rather soft, only medium in acidity. The medium-minus tannins feel quite gentle and resolved. The finish is long, slightly warm and gently grippy with savory and subtly evolved flavors of bretty leather, ripe blackcurrants, some mocha oak tones, a little bit of pruney fruit, light vanilla tones, a hint of raisin and a sweet touch of ripe fig.

A bold, silky and enjoyably complex Ribera del Duero. The overall feel is a bit too ripe, heavily oaked and modest in acidity for my taste, but otherwise the wine performs relatively well - the wine shows great sense of complexity, ranging from sweet-toned fruity flavors to savory and more funky nuances, without ever getting too funky, dirty or excessively rustic. Although the wine is quite modern in style, it fortunately does not come across as too international. If you enjoy big, bold wines, add a handful of points to my score. Drinking now nicely and most likely will be peaking in a handful of years, but will keep for much longer. Quite good value at 24,90€. (90 pts.)

  • 2005 Telmo RodrĂ­guez Toro Pago La Jara - Spain, Castilla y LeĂłn, Toro (13.2.2021)
    Almost 100% Tinta de Toro with a dash of Albillo Mayor in the blend. Aged for 15-18 months in oak barriques and larger foudres. 15% alcohol.

Extracted, somewhat evolved and almost fully opaque blackish-red with a figgy hue. The nose is sweet and sunny with opulent aromas of plums, some licorice, a little bit of dried blackcurrants, light toasty oak tones, a hint of floral lift and a touch of boozy alcohol. The wine is sweet, extracted and quite hot on the body with a very full body and voluptuous flavors of ripe plums, some blackcurrant jam, a little bit of sweet chocolatey oak, light savory notes of extracted woody spice, a hint of developed figgy fruit and a touch of vanilla. Fortunately the wine is quite structured for its size, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, extracted and grippy tannins. The finish is rich and juicy with some alcohol heat and bold, lengthy flavors of sweet dark plums, some mocha oak, light boysenberry jam tones, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of dried dark berries and a touch of wizened figs.

An impressively structured yet still quite plush and voluptuous Toro red. Retains surprisingly good structure for such a blocky wine, but nevertheless this feels a bit too oaky and high in alcohol for my taste. I guess this is impressive, if you like huge, extracted and sweet-toned wines, but I find it rather hard to get into these Toro wines - to me they are all about huge size and ripeness, lacking the focus and sense of freshness the best Ribera del Duero wines can show. This is good, but nothing beyond that. Feels somewhat overpriced for the quality at 36,90€. (89 pts.)

  • 2004 Noguerals Priorat Abellars - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (13.2.2021)
    A blend of Garnacha (50%), Cariñena (25%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Syrah (10%). 14,5% alcohol.

Developed, almost fully opaque blackish red color. Brooding, dark-toned and rather extracted nose with aromas of ripe dark fruits, some vanilla, light milk chocolate tones, a little bit of sweet forest fruits, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of allspice. The wine is ripe, weighty and extracted on the palate with a full body and lush, slightly sweet-toned flavors of dark plummy fruits, cocoa oak, some allspice, light coffee chocolate tones, a little bit of developed syrupy character, a hint of overripe grapey fruit and a touch of wizened figs. The overall feel is somewhat warm, rather chewy and quite muscular, thanks to the ample and rather grippy tannins. The acidity feels rather modest, but I suppose it’s just the huge body that is overwhelming the acid structure and the underlying acidity is higher than how it feels. The finish is dense, chewy and moderately grippy with some alcohol warmth and rather sweet-toned flavors of chocolatey mocha oak, some plums turning to prunes, a little bit of vanilla, light evolved syrupy tones, a hint of boysenberry jam and a touch of sugary coffee.

A rather huge and ponderous wine that is super big with extra all. In that sense, this feels like archetypal Priorat. If you are looking for ridiculously ripe, monolithic blockbusters when purchasing Priorats, this wine definitely doesn’t disappoint. However, it seems age hasn’t granted the wine much (if any) sense of finesse. The fruit has started to dry up and become pruney, but the wine is still massively big and heavy and the rather overdone chocolatey oak hasn’t budged one bit. It feels like this wine won’t become any more elegant or less oaky with age; it will just turn raisiny and then fall apart. It’s not really a bad wine, just an antithesis to what I enjoy in an aged wine. Actually I can imagine it is probably quite good if you like huge, oaked reds with some age. I really don’t, so you can take my rating with a pinch of salt. Feels somewhat overpriced for the quality at 34,90€. (86 pts.)

Dense, very evolved and almost fully opaque hazy maroon color. Old, tertiary and somewhat oxidative nose with aromas of beef jerky, some soy sauce, a little bit of wizened dark berries and dried dates, light earthy notes, a hint of savory smoke and a touch of old leather. The wine feels quite full-bodied, ripe and sweet-toned on the palate with tertiary flavors of soy sauce, beef jerky, some leathery funk, light wizened fig tones, a little bit of cherry marmalade, a hint of earth and a touch of old leather. Quite high in acidity with textural medium tannins. The overall impression is quite balanced but very tertiary and tired. The developed finish is gently grippy, dry and moderately oxidative with rather long flavors of leather, somewhat cooked fruit tones and dried dates, a little bit of leather and beef jerky, light meaty umami tones, a hint of soy sauce and a touch of earth.

Tired, moderately oxidative and past its peak. Either the wine was not built to age this long or it has suffered from poor provenance before purchase. Based on how youthful the vintage 2008 was a few years ago, I suspect the wine was cooked or its cork had leaked some oxygen. This wine was still somewhat drinkable, but rather unremarkable and not particularly enjoyable anymore. A shame. At 45€ this was waste of money. NR (flawed)

And then the final bunch of wines that were opened after the tasting proper:

  • 2019 Noita Winery Blaufränkisch - Austria, Burgenland (13.2.2021)
    100% Blaufränkisch made with fruit purchased from Burgenland, delivered to Finland and vinified in Uusimaa, Southern Finland. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, 30% of the fruit underwent carbonic maceration. 10% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Youthful, very pale and fully translucent garnet color. Heavily volatile nose with repulsive aromas of ether, some sweet nail polish tones, a little bit of vinegary acid character and a hint of nuttiness. Halp. The wine is dry, lively and light-bodied on the palate with high-toned flavors of crunchy crowberries, some tart cranberry juice, a little bit of acetic vinegary character, light volatile notes of nail polish, a hint of tart lingonberries and a touch of pickle. The overall feel is very high in acidity, although I it’s partly thanks to the high levels of VA. A hint of tannic grip. The finish is wild, crisp and long with volatile flavors of tart lingonberries, some vinegary roughness in the throat, a little bit of ethery VA, light crunchy notes of crowberries and a hint of nail polish remover.

Ugh, no. This is pretty repulsive stuff. The wine is so volatile it is virtually undrinkable. You can taste there are some fruit flavors underneath, but the overall feel is just way too volatile to leave enough room for any complexity. Fortunately the wine isn’t mousy, but I have no doubts the wine wine wouldn’t turn mousy if left opened for long enough. What I don’t understand, however, is how one can find Burgenland Blaufränkisch that clocks only at 10% ABV when fermented dry. That must be some really low-end stuff. (56 pts.)

  • 2018 Bodegas Ponce Manchuela Ponce Red Wine - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela (13.2.2021)
    A blend of Bobal and Moravia Agria. Fermented spontaneously in oak vats. Aged for 17 months in old, neutral 600-liter oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #576 of total 1991 bottles. Tasted blind.

Pale and translucent raspberry red color. Smoky, somewhat reductive and slightly “volcanic” nose with aromas of wild strawberries, some flinty smoky tones, a little bit of crunchy cranberries, light fruity notes of ripe red cherry and a reductive hint of hard-boiled eggs that is apparent upon opening the bottle, but blows off quickly. The wine is lively, fresh and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of crunchy cranberries and wild strawberries, some gunpowder smoke, a little bit of ripe red plum, light stony mineral nuances and a perfumed hint of violets. Lovely, bright acidity. Light, gentle tannins. The finish is fresh, long and lively with berry-driven aftertaste of wild strawberries, some gunpowder smoke, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light stony mineral tones and a hint of floral lift.

A very wonderful wine is what this is. Beautifully crunchy with a lovely streak of smoky reduction that might feel a bit skunky at first, but turns quite pleasant after a minute or two. The high acidity and the smoky tones made people think volcanic regions, so the first guesses were Canary Islands and Etna. However, after it was revealed that the wine was not (supposedly, at least) from a volcanic region, Spain quite quickly came into focus and I managed to quite quickly guess correctly Ponce as the producer. A lovely wine by all accounts - drinking mighty well right now, but based on the reduction, this might continue to improve in a cellar for at least a handful of years. Recommended. (93 pts.)

  • 2017 Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois Trousseau des CorvĂ©es - France, Jura, Arbois (13.2.2021)
    A Trousseau from the lieu-dit Les Corvées. Fully destemmed, macerated with the skins for 10 to 30 days (depending on the vintage). Fermented spontaneously, aged in large oak foudres for 12 months, vinified and bottled without any sulfites. Lot number LTr0519. 12,5% alcohol.

Quite translucent, slightly hazy and subtly developed cranberry red color. Wild, funky and somewhat volatile nose with aromas of bretty funk, some crunchy cranberry, a little bit of acetic sharpness, light peppery tones and a lifted hint of sweet nail polish. The wine is lively, medium-bodied and quite ripe on the palate with subtly sweet-toned flavors of wild strawberries, some blueberries, light volatile notes of sweet nail polish, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a touch of acetic sharpness. The overall feel is surprisingly soft and mellow for a Jura with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and very gentle tannins that at first seem almost nonexistent, then slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is juicy, wild and gently grippy with mellow, medium-long flavors of wild strawberries, some raspberry juice, a little bit of acetic roughness in the throat, light volatile notes of nail polish, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of bretty barnyard funk.

A rather wild and surprisingly soft and mellow Trousseau that came as a relatively disappointing wine to me. First, while I do enjoy natural wines, I prefer wines that can keep their funk at bay - whereas this wine was all over the place and most of the nuance was lost underneath the elevated levels of VA; secondly, the wine was surprisingly soft and mellow for a Trousseau - I consider the variety to be the most structured one of the red Jura cultivars, but this was a soft and easy like a simple Poulsard. I wonder if the poor 2017 vintage had something to do with that. Nevertheless, I poured the wine blind for a bunch of people and the first two comments were “this feels like something East of Burgundy” and “I wonder if this is a naturalist Trousseau or Bastardo”. At that point I concluded that no more guessing was necessary - so I guess there’s some typicity to this wine. However, at 26,90€, I wouldn’t say this was worth the price. (82 pts.)

  • 2012 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (13.2.2021)
    Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 3-4 weeks. Aged for 15-24 months in large Slavonian oak casks and another 6 months in bottles. 14% alcohol.

Deep, translucent pomegranate color. Sunny, somewhat sweet and very varietally correct nose with aromas of fragrant cherries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of earthy spice, light tobacco and leather tones, a hint of smoke and tar and a touch of sun-baked gravelly earth. Very attractive overall impression. The wine feels ripe, medium-bodied and textural on the palate with fine-tuned flavors of licorice, brambly black, some ripe cranberry and red cherry tones, a little bit of earth, light pipe tobacco tones and a sweet hint of spice cabinet. Very firm and enjoyably tightly-knit yet not lean overall feel, thanks to the high acidity and quite grippy tannins. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and savory with long flavors of tobacco, some licorice root, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light brambly notes of black raspberries, hints of tar and smoke and a touch of earth.

A very tasty, sophisticated and harmonious Langhe Nebbiolo that punches above its weight, performing more like a Barbaresco or Roero Rosso than a “mere” Langhe Nebbiolo. Shows wonderfully classic, varietally correct aromatics and enjoyably tightly-knit, firm structure. Starting to show some signs of age, but most likely will continue to improve for at least a handful of years. This wine isn’t going to be as long-lived as the Barolo bottlings of Cavallotto, but fortunately this isn’t priced like on either. A very lovely effort and definitely among the better Langhe Nebbiolos, highly recommended. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks for the exhaustive notes.

We had the 04 Bosconia reserva at an open casting call a few years ago, and it was one of the few wines left mostly full at the end of the evening.

I agree on the Culmen bottle size/shape/weight. One issue related to that, if people are sharing a bottle … its difficult to tell how much wine might actually be left in the bottle when passing it around!

I cannot imagine a more pleasant way to ruin anyone’s taste.

Great notes on the LdH wines. Just had the '09 Blanco Wed night and your note on the '04 captures the essence of the wine very well.

Thank you for your honest review and I could not agree more, and even though there are a few producers, the main ones I have found do exactly how you describe: oak, Al% and extraction. I like Palacios (outside of Rioja), however in general Spain needs to find a direction. Yet, some love this style of wine, so maybe that is the direction…

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I guess that speaks more about the people that were drinking the wines than about the wine. neener

I wholeheartedly agree and continue to ruin my taste in this tried-and-tested method! [cheers.gif]

Cheers! Noticed. Haven’t had Tondonia Blanco 2009 yet myself, but based on my observations on Gravonia 2009, the vintage seems promising - although in our tasting Gravonia 2010 fared better than 2009!

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It was (one of) my contribution too! I do buy LdH’s wines a little, and drink them a little, but not my first choice to pull if I had to drink a bottle all myself over a day or too.

Arv

Funny, that’s a wine I seek out most vintages. A very elegant Rioja to my tastes.

Cheers,
Warren

I’m with you here. Tondonia might be weightier and more impressive than Bosconia, but I often prefer Bosconia’s emphasis on freshness, elegance and versatility to Tondonia’s slightly more powerful and perhaps a bit more complex expression.

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While I’m not very surprised, the notes further drove that wedge between one of the few good ones (imho) and the rest in Spain. With so many producers, the minefield hasn’t abated even in recent years.

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Great notes, thank you. Agree on LdH wines, I’m especially keen on the whites ( incl Gravonia) which I’ve had but wouldn’t call myself an expert just a fan.

Your note on 2019 Noita Winery Blaufränkisch should become a classic. You are to be commended (I think) for giving such rubbish a serious review.

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Thanks :smiley: I think every wine should be given a fair chance (at least in a tasting setting) - and in turn, if one is taking notes, the taster should describe the wine as accurately as possible and not pull punches if the wine truly is so lousy!

Bosconia any time for me, if I have to choose [cheers.gif]

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So basically stick with LDH for Rioja! Seriously most of Spanish wines I’ve tried felt like taking a bite of an oak chip. Yuk.