Corrected. Yes, LRA and this 2009 tastes like pickles.
Do have the tastes like pickles on all vintages of this wine or just the 09?
Based upon the reactions on the boards in this thread and other threads, I think there’s quite a bit of variability in sensitivity to the dill component. I’m not usually someone who is super sensitive to things like brett or VA, but for some reason the LRA wines rub me the wrong way. I don’t have a problems with most other Rioja’s. A couple of years ago, I bought a few various LRA’s from the 90’s and 2001. Just couldn’t drink them. Served them to my family, and after 1/2 a glass, my adult kids set them aside and asked “what else have you got?” (The fruit on these wines was wonderful BTW, just pickle infused.)
I doubt it was off. The LRA wines have pronounced notes of dill and vanilla, just a question of degree and how sensitive you are to it.
In curiosity after this discussion, we opened another bottle of the 2010 Seleccion Especial this afternoon with leftover Spanish lamb meatballs. My husband didn’t have any of the first bottle the other night, so today we were both on the alert for the dill. Second bottle showed for me exactly like the first - some of the signature coconut oak, blackberry brambles, and yes, some dill pickle, but no where near what we experienced with, say, a bottle of '78 Jordan we opened the other night. Jonathan agreed. This was simply part of the flavor profile, not obtrusive. Of course, I can’t comment on whether this level of pickle would have bothered others, as that’s a personal thing - I can’t stand ANY raisin notes in cabernet, even when they are totally fine for others. But even when those raisin notes are too much for me, I’m able to discern if they are over the top or not. In this case, I would say the pickle notes were most definitely NOT over the top. For what it’s worth.
On another topic, I think this wine does not require long aging. It has plenty of structure to age, but I wouldn’t hesitate to drink it young. Bottle one was not better on night two. Today’s bottle only lasted the length of lunch.
In the other thread on this same subject, there were so many people who felt that the wines were wonderful and without much obtrusive oak in the late 2000’s on, that folks were speculating that they had dialed back on the oak somewhat from the 1990’s. The wines from the 1990’s I just couldn’t drink, and I drink a moderate amount of Rioja.
Based upon the reactions on the boards in this thread and other threads, I think there’s quite a bit of variability in sensitivity to the dill component. I’m not usually someone who is super sensitive to things like brett or VA, but for some reason the LRA wines rub me the wrong way. I don’t have a problems with most other Rioja’s. A couple of years ago, I bought a few various LRA’s from the 90’s and 2001. Just couldn’t drink them. Served them to my family, and after 1/2 a glass, my adult kids set them aside and asked “what else have you got?” (The fruit on these wines was wonderful BTW, just pickle infused.)
I would say La Rioja Alta tend to have more dill/wood than most Rioja wines I have tasted. According to the tech notes on this wine they do six manual rackings in American Oak with 4 years of age on them.
I am seeing more and more bottle variation with several wines. A new thread on Cayuse seems to have tasters with quite a bit of bottle variation and the 2007 Arcandian Syrah I just posted seems to have a bit of variation as a friend of mine has had some off bottles also.
[quoteIn the other thread on this same subject, there were so many people who felt that the wines were wonderful and without much obtrusive oak in the late 2000’s on, that folks were speculating that they had dialed back on the oak somewhat from the 1990’s. The wines from the 1990’s I just couldn’t drink, and I drink a moderate amount of Rioja.][/quote] I know the Ardanza they use older American oak barrels. This vintage is 4 year old oak.