Lev Lavrichtchev

8.9

Oct 2024: PnP ready in 10 minutes, smooth classic Rioja, good VFM — 3 months ago

K L

9.1

Good! Total wines Portugal wine. Would get again. Deep fruit but not too dark. Balanced. — 4 months ago

with Matt

K L

9.0

Great cheap buy from Total Wine. Pleasantly surprised how good this was and would get again. — 5 months ago

with Matt

Brandon Boesch

9.5

Really liked this one — a month ago

Roberto Carli

9.7

what an outstanding experience and without question one of the best wines of the year for me. This is a world class business card of what American oak can do at its best. It starts with a powerful yet elegant knows of dusty cherry, old licorice but mostly gives way to inebriating feeling of grandma‘s old spice cabinet. Something in the nose already tells you that fine fine tans are waiting for you, but the palate is overwhelmingly silky smoothness, possibly the highest combination of intense-yet-silky tannins you can find anywhere, with bright acidity and medium to light body that makes the whole thing dance. I decided to check the producer website and they recommend pairing it with cod with sauce. Luck would have it that I randomly was eating pasta filled with salt cod and tomato sauce. The pairing works well as it further rejuvenates the wine, but I would say it shines at its brightest just by itself, letting those tannins tell the story without any need to curb them down. I’m drinking from Coravin meaning I cannot decant the wine, but even the sediment tastes good. Just like those people who brag about buying burgundy in the 70s, I feel like once the ebbs and flows of trends will shift I will be bragging about buying a 26-year-old monte real gran reserva, kept 24 years at the winery, for 60 bucks, which in San Francisco wouldn’t even pay for the cost of storage  — 3 months ago

Tony D

9.0

Light rioja. But I honestly don’t know much about the wines. Going to Spain next week should be better to describe next time. Not very tannins. Not very dry. Medium oak. Like it especially on a beautiful night after playing soccer with my kid. 17$. Totally worth it. Would recommend. — 5 months ago

PM

9.3

Delicious 2017 vintage — 2 months ago

David Wasserman

9.0

Sweet smooth fruit yum — 3 months ago

with Katie

Brad Jensen

9.3

Great anniversary wine at La Cuchara in Baltimore. Beautiful old nose of suede, rich leather, licorice and fig spread, with a silky body, a pale brick red, brown, deep maroon color, a nice acidic tinge, and prominent rich cranberry jam, fresh plum, and leathery notes. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over three days; consistent throughout with very little evolution. The cork basically disintegrated when trying to open. The 2009 Gran Reserva pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core, moving gradually towards a rust colored rim. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and desiccated red fruits: Bing cherry, mulberries, spiced plum, cumin, dill, Balsamico, chocolate chip banana bread, toasted coconut, leather, cigar box, dry earth and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory and super delicious. What a drop dead gorgeous Gran Reserva from Hermanos Pecina. This drinks well from the pop and pour opens up considerably with air so decanting 30min before would be advisable. Enjoy through 2039+. The cork was doing its job as it was only partially saturated, it just came apart in little pieces. I have several remaining bottles and I’ll plan on using an Ah-So or Durand with the next bottle. A stunning, ultra-traditional Rioja Tinto. — 7 months ago