WTN: A Spanish wine tasting

[Andre]

With your permission I will post several tastings together.

After carefully looking into my Spanish wine stock with a far from easy self0debating I picked several Hombres and Senioritas to suffer through a 4 hour wine tasting of this great country.

Spanish wine tasting

Special Reserve, Haifa. August 7th 2003

Vino blanco:

Valdemar vino blanco rioja cosecha 2001

Light crystal clear greenish toward yellowish color.

Citrus fruit is apparent with hints of sour apples and spices.

Med. Bodied Viura with some Malvasia. Quite consistent on the palate, citrus fruits with a spicy finish

A good wine very well balanced .

Marques de riscal rueda 2000

Yellowish almost goldish color.

Ripe tropical fruits rise gently from the glass with some herbs in the back.

A dry med. To full bodied wine with a slightly bitter oaky mixed with mineral finish.

Impressive dry that will be great with grilled cold water sea fish.

Vino tinto:

Merlot Navarra Nekeas 1998.

Dark red Bordeaux color.

Full bodied nose rich with ripe raspberries and black cherries with a toasted oak finish.

Jammy on the entry and well balanced with the heavy toasting in the back.

A very well made new world wine. Try with grilled steaks.

I picked the Melot as an axample of a new world wine.

Rioja Faustino 7, 2000.

Red light cherry color.

A rather sweet nose of strawberries and red forest berries with a slightly peppery finish.

Med. to light bodied wine; sour red berries and sweet tobacco mingle nicely on the tongue, fairly simple and not complex with a balanced fruit and soft tannins texture.

Well made yet short and not impressive. Nothing to write home about.

Rioja Conde de Valdemar Crianza, 2000.

Dark red toward chocolate color.

A rather closed nose with hints of dark chocolate and coffee with some red berries signaling in between.

Med. bodied dry wine with an excellent balance between plums, dry chocolate, spices and oak.

Tres bien eleve ! A job well done and an excellent value for the money!

Rioja Conde de Valdemar reserva 1997

Red dark toward dark brow color.

Massive spicy nose with dried forest fruit aroma, spices and horse saddle.

Big on the entry with chewy spices and tannins mingling perfectly with dried plums and blueberries.

Will continue to evolve in the coming 2-5 years.

A Star at its group. Very impressive value for the money.

Rioja Marques de Caceres Reserva 1992

Brownish toward red color

Over the hill nose with over ripe fruits, green coffee and spices.

Slightly oxidized flavors, dry fruits, spices and chocolate disappearing in the back.

Drink now or never.

Alion, Ribera del Duero 1996.

Dark red with lots of depth.

A rather young and still closed nose rich in Blue berries, black cherries and spices.

A full-bodied wine with a massive amount of soft tannins red fruits and excellent balance with new oak. Full bodied and chewy.

Drinkable now though I would wait for this wine to open up 2-3 more years.

Excellent.

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In the modern world that will live in today, there is little room for old people, The rat race is a spartan reflection of George Orwell's world with no place for the weak.

We pay little respect for old age unless very influencial.

I would term this as the biggest loss of our time. The older part of our society is exiled by the know all modern computer age. They are other thrown in solitude or are driven to share a complex with "their own kind".

The Arabs say: Ask the experienced not the knowledgable. We tend to ignore a very wise sentence.

This choice of wines requires a step to the road less travelled to be enjoyed.

Real Irache Gran Reserva, Navarra, 1983.

Light red toward pinkish color with hints of golden brown.

A pleasantly light fruity nose with hints of tobacco, vanilla and spices.

Very smooth very well balanced lightly elegant wine.

A pleasure to drink now, no more acidity or tannins to allow further development. Down hill from here.

Rioja 890. La Rioja Alta 1982.

Brownish toward red goldish color.

A great older Rioja nose with lots of spices, herbs, balanced oak and dry fruits.

Very impressive complexity in the mouth with still firm tannins and a fairly good acidity. Dried fruits, spices and herbs deliver a unique balance between harmony and complexity.

A great wine to be enjoyed now or in the coming 2 years.

Thanks for reading.