Big and tough. The blackberry, coffee, earth and herbal flavors struggle to escape the assertive tannins, which overwhelm the palate. It's ambitious, but lacks finesse. Best after 2007. 2,500 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Ribera del Duero Select to Add

Don’t underestimate this wine—though it seems approachable at first, it seems to bulk up the longer that it sits in the glass. Add woodsy tannins to a dark profile of black soil, black plum and charred oak, and you’ve got a wine that could use at least another year (but more like two or three) in the bottle. —D.M. ——D.T.(4/1/2003)—— 88