Viña Ardanza Reserva 1989 DOC Rioja (Rioja Alta,
SA)Viña Ardanza Reserva 1989 DOC Rioja (Rioja Alta,
SA)One of Spain's top red "reservas". Smooth, but with plenty of body. A good partner for roasts, steaks and stews - but goes nicely with pasta as well.
Deep cherry red color. The aroma's deep and powerful with a spicy complexity.
The taste is silky smooth, complex with lots of body and a lengthy finish.
A truly fine Rioja. 
[$H]
{16 August 1996}
Alion '92 Crianza DO Ribera del Duero (Bodegas y Viñedos
Alion)An excellent, top quality red which is rated among Spain's best. A beautiful wine, elegant and with body. A perfect partner for beef, lamb, or a fine gourmet cheese.
Made from 100% Tinto Fino. The color is deep, dark cherry red. The aroma's
powerful and complex with spice, dark berry fruit, chocolate and more.
Extremely fine and smooth taste and a long, long finish. [$H]
{2 August 1996}
Made from the local Moristel grape and Tempranillo, this is a delightful young wine from the Somantano region. The color is deep cherry red with violet highlights. The aroma is potent and full of blackberry and raspberry fruit and a hint of spice. The taste is pleasant, smooth and fruity.
This is one of the nicest young wines I've tried of late. Serve at 18°
C. Goes well with chicken, turkey, tuna and roasts, and should work with
pasta as well. 
[$L]
{24 July 1996}
95% Tempranillo plus a bit of Mazuela and Graciano. 12 months in oak
and 12 months of bottle ageing before release. Deep, dark cherry red color.
The nose is ample, full of red berry fruit and aromatic spicy overtones.
The taste is pleasant, tannic and fruity with a good finish. 
[$M]
{1 July 1996}
Made from 100% Mencia, with 8 months in oak and nearly 2 years of bottle
ageing. The Mencia grape is a Cabernet Franc clone, typical of the Bierzo
and Valdeorras regions. The color is deep cherry red. Aroma is powerful
and full of raspberry fruit with herbal overtones. The taste is of red
raspberrys, smooth, fun. An enjoyable, pleasant and somewhat different
wine that makes for a nice change. [$M]
{17 June 1996}
Situated in the province of Navarra and inside the Rioja region, Barón
de Ley is a chateau style bodega with its own vineyards that surround the
winery itself. The wine is a bright cherry-red color of medium depth, and
no signs of ageing. The aroma is potent, red fruit with leathery oak overtones.
The taste is smooth, pleasant, elegant with a lasting finish. [$M]
{11 June 1996}
Bright cherry-red color. Potent nose with lots of red fruit and quality
wood. Good body, pleasant bright taste with red-berry fruit, spice and
oak. Long finish. This recent release for La Rioja Alta is good today,
and can only improve with a year or so of bottle ageing. [$M]
{6 June 1996}
Despite two years of ageing - 18 months in american oak plus 6 months
of bottle ageing, this is a remarkably young wine. The color is a medium
deep cherry red. The aroma is fruity and penetrating. The taste is that
of a much younger wine - lots of fruit and only a gentle hint of oak. A
wine to enjoy now, but should improve over the next few years. [$M]
{23 May 1996}
Made from Garnacha and Cariñena grapes with 6 months in oak.
This is a classic Penedés, and available in most parts the world.
The color is deep dark-ruby red. The aroma is light, but taste is smooth
and powerful, with plenty of body. A good wine to accompany roasts, steaks,
stews, etc. [$M]
{1 May 1996}
Cosme Palacios y Hermanos, 1992 Crianza DOC Rioja (Bodegas
Palacio)Made from Tempranillo grapes, this is a superb red from Laguardia in
the Rioja Alavesa region. The color is a deep, dark cherry red. The aroma
powerful and full of ripe berry fruit with an elegant touch of oak. The
taste is packed with ripe fruit, spicy vanilla hints and gentle overtones
of fine clean quality oak. It's great to drink now, but will continue to
improve for a few more years. [$M]
{24 Apr 1996}
Made from 85% Tempranillo and 15% Viura, this young un-aged wine is
made by the "maceración carbónica" method where
the grapes are not crushed, and the wine ferments inside the skins. The
color is deep purple. The aroma is powerful and full of fruit. The taste
is potent, agressive but smooth and clean. There's no oak, as this wine
is not oak-aged, so it's a wine to drink now, not to keep for more than
6 months or so. [$L]
{17 Apr 1996}
Made from 50% Tempranillo, 35% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, this
is a good example of the "new" Navarra wines, from small family-style
producers. The color is deep, dark-cherry red. The aroma is potent, complex,
fruity with earthy tones. The taste is smooth, with earthy-mushroom notes,
and potent tanins. A good wine which will get even better with more time
in bottle. [$M]
{3 Apr 1996}
Augustus Cabernet Sauvignon, 1991 DO Penedés
(Cellers Puig & Roca)Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot with 6 months in oak
(American & French). The color is deep dark-cherry red with a powerful
berry-fruit aroma - very much a Cab. The taste is smooth, with plenty of
fruit, just a touch of oak and good balance. This is a terrific wine, that
probably should be decanted before serving. [$M]
{10 Mar 1996}
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. Deep dark red color. Aroma
is earthy with mushroom accents, dried fruit, elegant. Meaty, velvety smooth
taste, well balanced tanins, fruit and oak. Highly recommended, a wine
to be enjoyed. [$M]
{13 Feb 1996}
This is a "sin-crianza" or young wine with little barrel ageing.
Color deep, dark cherry red. Potent aroma with plenty of ripe, red fruit.
There's a meaty, almost chewy texture, slightly rough around the edges
- not unusual for such a young wine. [$L]
{6 Feb 1996}
Remelluri, 1991 Reserva, D.O.C. Rioja (Granja Nrta Sra
de Remelluri)Deep, dark cherry-red color. Powerful ripe fruit aroma, dried prunes
and spice. Plenty of body, potent, good tanins and a hint of spice in the
finish. This is a splendid wine which drinks well, and will last for a
good number of years. [$M]
{30 Jan 1996}
Barón de Oña 1989 Reserva, D.O.C. Rioja
(Torre de Oña)Made mainly from Tempranillo with a touch of Mazuelo. The color is deep
cherry red, of medium intensity. The aroma shows spice, vanilla and good
fruit. This is a big, meaty wine with a good finish. Riojas don't normally
require decanting, but it may be a good idea with Barón de Oña,
which throws off a bit of sediment. [$M]
{16 Jan 1996}
Cherry red color, bright with no signs of ageing. Fruity aroma with
oak overtones. Good body, pleasant and lots of taste. 100% Tempranillo.
[$M]
{2 Jan 1996}
[$L] [$M] [$H] [$L]
[$M] [$L] [$L] San Leon DO Jerez (Argüeso)[$M]
[$M] [$M][$L] = Low (less than $5)[$M] = Medium ($5 to $10)[$H] = High (more than $10)