2005 sees a night dedicated to Spanish red wines, causing everyone to go buying retail - only one member had a Spanish wine in his cellar, and that because he brought it back from Europe specially for this dinner! All wines sealed under cork tonight.
2003 Dehesa Gago "g" (Toro) 14%
Deep red with crimson tinge. Rich nose of bright young cherry fruit; the aromas are clean and sweet. The palate is more restrained, although still spicy and tannic, with fizzy acid and plenty of alcoholic warmth. There's some savoury dusty oak preceding a medium weight finish of no great length or complexity. Fair wine in a modern style.
2000 Siglo Crianza (Rioja) 12.5%
Somewhat pale translucent red. Old style rioja; sweet vanillan oaky notes compete with an underlying oxidative character. The palate is soft and woody, with a blurry fuzziness to it. Tannins are gently faded, and the finish is soft and rather short.
2000 Beronia Rioja "Elaberacion Especial" 13%
1998 Beronia Rioja "Elaberacion Especial" 13%
The 2000 is mid red with some bricking at the rim. The aromas are earthy, fungal, with forest floor notes and sweet old oak. The palate tastes a lot cleaner than the nose suggests, with moderate weight, soft tannin and acid, and a medium length, yet quite simple finish. Oddly enough, the 1998 is a darker red than its younger brother. The aromas are very similar, but a bit more feral, yet grow increasingly sweet as the glass sits. Softer and even smoother than the 98, with no edges at all. Good palate coverage, and a soft furry finish. Good but not so 'especial'. A second bottle was similar.
1999 Baron de Chirel Riserva (Rioja) 13.5%
Very deep red. The nose is a radical departure from the other Rioja wnes of the night. Lots of blackcurrant and dark chocolate aromas here. A dash of cabernet perhaps? Underlying oak. Very forward nose. The palate is ripe, tannic, modern. Full bodied, the palate is still fairly closed and primary. Big wine that needs time.
1999 Bodegas y Viñedos 'Alion' (Ribera del Duero) 13.5%
Almost black. Deep-chested blackcurrant and chocolatey notes are the most obvious aromas on the nose; intense and concentrated. The palate is monolithic, pure and dark, with waves of powerful grapey tannins prominent. Full weight and long finish, good balance, but absurdly young. Just pips the Baron as wine of the night for me.
1999 Faustino V Riserva (Rioja)
I think we had one of these a year or two ago. Additional time has not been kind to this wine. Mid red. Pongy sock aromas compete with underlying oxidation. The palate is an unattractive mix of ethyl acetate volatility and astringency. Nasty and thin.
1998 Martinez Bujanda Conde de Valdemar Riserva Rioja
TCA contaminated (corked). Bring on the screwcaps...
1996 Beronia Rioja Riserva 12.5%
Another re-appearance from a previous dinner. Pale brick red. A somewhat tired nose largely consisting of soft old American oak in the classic style. Satisfcatory soft and undemanding wine of no particular distinction.
2000 Esporão DOC Alentejo Riserva 14.5% (Portugal)
Here's a ringer. A tight cherry-raspberry nose, with a distinct hint of white pepper. The palate is light warm and spicy, with a pretty large mid palate hole. Undistinguished.
2000 Azienda Agricola Tacinaia Quarrata Vin Santo del Chianti 15%
Apparently made from Trebbiano and Malvesia, this presents a semi-sweet varnishy nose, with strong sulphurous tones. The palate is warm and slippery, with more varnish textures. Flavours are lean and somewhat industrial; it's hard to find any specifically fruity qualities to them. Short finish. Polarising wine, no doubt about it.
In the cold hard light of the rest of the week, it was by-and-large, a pretty disappointing collection of wines. The Rioja's were a bit sameish but not generally distinguished (Baron excepted); only the Duero wine rose to any great heights. All reflecting, I guess, that we were mostly buying wines 'blind' for the night.
Cheers,
Graeme