TASTING NOTE: Pale golden yellow. Baked apple, quince and cinnamon on the nose.The creamy, rich tropical fruit flavors are highlighted by spicy botrytis, with firm underlying acidity giving the wine a delicate, airy quality. Offers a wonderfully elegant spiciness, hidden depths and impressive complexity.The finish is dazzlingly long, slate-driven and gripping for a "simple" auslese!
Score - 95.
(Joel B. Payne,
International Wine Cellar,
Jan./Feb. 2007)
TASTING NOTE: A seductive aroma of rose petals and violets launches into a broad array of delicious crushed red fruit flavors. Quite pure-tasting and structured, with a long finish of mineral, mocha and hints of smoke. Drink now through 2009.
Score - 92.
(Kim Marcus,
www.winespectator.com,
Dec. 31, 2005)
TASTING NOTE: Good ruby-red. Aroma of currant, licorice, graphite and truffle. Minerally and firm if a bit dry-edged, with spicy dark berry flavors showing a slightly port-like richness. Then finishes firmly tannic, with a lingering currant flavor.
Score - 88.
(Stephen Tanzer,
International Wine Cellar,
Sept./Oct. 2005)
Casa Cisca Monastrell 2004 DO Yecla
(Bodegas Castaño)
998187
(D) 750 mL $65
TASTING NOTE: The 2004 Casa Cisca, the estate’s flagship wine, is 100% old-vine Monastrell (70+ years of age) aged for 14 months in American oak. Dark ruby/purple-colored, it emits an attractive array of Asian spice, tobacco, cedar, and blueberry pie aromas. On the palate additional flavors of cherry and chocolate emerge. The wine has a firm structure, excellent balance, and a long finish. It should evolve for several years and drink well through 2022.
Score - 92.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Feb. 2007)
Finca Sandoval 2004 DO Manchuela
48694
(D) 750 mL $45
TASTING NOTE: The brilliant 2004 Finca Sandoval (83% Syrah, 9% Monastrell, and 8% Bobal) is produced from a vineyard situated on a plateau at 2250 feet elevation. Consequently, there is an unexpected freshness and uplift to this cuvee. Aged completely in French oak for 11 months, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a full-bodied, scorched earth character reminiscent of a French Graves. Sweet blackberry and cassis fruit, underlying minerality, silky tannin, and a textured, rich mouthfeel suggest this beautiful wine should drink well for a decade or more. Drink 2006-2016.
Score - 93.
(Robert Parker Jr.,
www.erobertparker.com,
Aug. 2006)
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Tinto Gran Reserva 1998 DOCa Rioja
43935
(XD) 750 mL $59
TASTING NOTE: Spent 41 months in oak. Complex yet still tight spicy, earthy, perfumed casky nose. The palate is soft, bold, complex and spicy with a nice savoury edge. It’s a really expressive wine. Delicious. Very good/excellent.
Score - 92.
(Jamie Goode,
www.wineanorak.com,
April 2006)
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 1998 DOCa Rioja
743310
(XD) 750 mL $55
TASTING NOTE: The 1998 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is 80% Tempranillo and the balance Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. It is aged for one year in large oak followed by 3 years in new French oak and 3 years in bottle prior to release. This medium ruby colored wine seems to combine traditional and modern elements beginning with a classic nose of earth, cedar, tobacco, spice box, and red currants. Medium-bodied with a velvety texture, the wine offers elegance and lovely balance but also plenty of fleshy flavor. The fruit has enough structure to drink well for at least another 6-8 years.
Score - 91.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Feb. 2007)
Torre Muga 2003 DOCa Rioja
719609
(XD) 750 mL $79
TASTING NOTE: The 2003 Torre Muga is 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, and 10% Graciano made in a modern style. The wine spends 22 months in large American oak vats followed by 16 months in new French barriques before being bottled unfiltered. The wine is a saturated purple with fragrant aromas of earth, smoke, vanilla, blueberry, and blackberry jam. On the palate it is tannic and chunky but packed with intense black fruits. There is plenty of pure power but also the lack of breadth due to the searing heat of the vintage.
Score - 92.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Feb. 2007)
Amethystos Cava 2002 (Domaine Constantin Lazaridi)
912980
(XD) 750 mL $49
A Gold Medal winner at Paris' prestigious Vinalies internationales in 2006. Aged for 18 months in new oak casks, the Amethystos conjures up multiple aromatic layers from its delicious, sweet black fruit to its underpinning notes of coffee, mint, eucalyptus and herbs. A great candidate for mid-term cellaring (3-5 years) or exquisite now with pheasant.
