Ripe fruit and smoky oak mingle seamlessly in this rich, thick red. The plum and morello flavors are ripe yet lively, balanced by chocolate and toasty notes, supported by firm, well-integrated tannins that melt into a sweet, floral finish. Delicious, in the international style. Drink now through 2020. 60 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Rioja Select to Add

Lively and intense, with a true old-vines, limited-production character. The color, nose and palate are all potent and masculine. There’s a ton of new oak on the nose, but it’s textbook modern-style Rioja. Cassis, blackberry and various woody adornments make it work, and the finish is black as coal. Drink from late 2009 and on. ——M.S.(2/1/2009)—— 91