The 1994 Crianza Rioja is an outstanding bargain from this Bodegas. According to the importer, it took him three years of hard negotiating to get the winery to bottle this wine without filtration. Made from 100% Tempranillo, it is a sensational bargain. It displays a complex, spice box, tobacco, sweet black cherry and curranty nose, with a whiff of lead pencil and smoke. Dense, with terrific fruit ripeness, a soft, velvety texture, medium body, and a flamboyant finish, this layered wine reminds me of a Spanish red Graves with its smoky tobacco-like fruit character. This beautifully supple-textured wine should be drunk over the next 4-5 years. An astonishing value!
Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates From Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (617) 461-5767