The 2005 Tinto del Pais spent 3 months in seasoned French and American oak before bottling without fining or filtration. Purple/black-colored, it offers up a bouquet of roasted mineral, prunes, dates, and black cherry. Firm and structured on the palate, this medium to full-bodied effort is packed with fruit but needs another 2-3 years of bottle aging to unwind. It should offer prime drinking from 2012 to 2020. The DO of Cigales is just west of Ribera del Duero. The Traslanzas Vineyard was planted in 1940 to Tinto del Pais, the local name for Tempranillo.Importer: Winebow Inc., New York, NY; www.winebow.com

Blackberry, tar and raisiny berry aromas rule the dense, dark bouquet, while the palate is short on vitality and large on big, raisiny flavors and prune. More tannic and grabby than smooth and free-flowing, with raisiny afternotes and some bitterness. Good but really ripe; 875 cases made.——M.S.(11/1/2010)—— 87