The 2006 La Nieta is purple/black colored with an alluring bouquet of coffee/mocha, sandalwood, Asian spices, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. Ripe, sweet, and more forward than the 2007, it is a savory, dense wine with excellent volume, a plush texture, and a lengthy, pure finish. Vinedos de Paganos, one of the outstanding Rioja estates, is owned by the Eguren family. The El Puntido cuvee comes from the single Tempranillo vineyard of the same name planted in 1975. It is typically aged in new French oak for 18 months before bottling without filtration. Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates from Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767

Spicy oak notes of sandalwood and fresh coffee frame focused red fruit flavors of raspberry and cherry in this sleek, expressive red, which has fine, firm tannins and the classic leafy and minerally notes of Rioja. Drink now through 2014. 50 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Rioja Select to Add