A rich, medium- to full-bodied red, featuring flashy oak spice, licorice and espresso notes that impart a flamboyant edge to blackberry coulis and loamy earth notes. Fresh, with balsamico acidity and structured by firm, fine-grained tannins. After 7 years, this still hasn't quite absorbed all of its oak influence and shifted into gear, so this is for fans of a modern style. Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 1,000 cases made, 350 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Spain / Ribera del Duero Select to Add

I tasted the 2011 last year, and I was expecting the 2012, but for some reason I got the 2009 Gran Reserva bottling of Tempranillo with 5% between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from old and very low-yielding vines. The destemmed grapes fermented in oak vats followed by malolactic and 48 months aging (that's four years!) in brand new French barriques. 2009 was a very warm year and the wine shows it. It's also a wine from a different era, when ripeness, extraction and oak were perhaps pushing the envelope to the limit. The issue is that the fruit feels dried out and the tannins seem to be remaining. 6,300 bottles produced.