The 2004 Alma de Tobia Tinto is made in a more modern style from the estate’s oldest vineyards and best grapes. It is composed of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha and spent 20 months in new French oak before being bottled unfiltered. Opaque purple-colored, the nose shows lots of toasty oak and vanilla with black cherry and black raspberry fruit in the background. The wine is straightforward on the palate revealing more oak than fruit. Time in the bottle may result in better integration but that is a risk. Give it at least 3-5 years to evolve and drink it through 2025. Importer: Thomas George, Frontier Wine Imports, Dover, NJ; tel. (973) 328-4500

Big, earthy nose. Good vineyard depth and lively fruit. Youthful wine and good extraction, but a bit raw and four square.