The 2005 Alma de Tobia Tinto is also 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha aged for 24 months in new French oak. The fruit was sourced from vines of over 70 years of age. Opaque purple-colored, it offers up a classy bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, cinnamon, leather, tobacco, and blackberry. Opulent on the palate with a sense of refinement, it has ample ripe fruit, soft tannins, and impeccable balance. This beautifully rendered wine will have a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2030. Importer: Tom George, Frontier Wine Imports, Dover, NJ; tel. (973) 328-4500

Sweet lift. Velvet texture, lots of oak balanced by fruit and fresh acidity. Extracted, but huge concentration. Very modern style - a blockbuster type, if you like that.