Lacres 2004-05
Lacres 2004-05
Ver mensaje de GastronautaLast month I went to Madrid for the Spanish Wine Experience (Cata de los Lacres) at the Ritz Hotel. In the midst of several hundred geeks and non-geeks I joined a group of regulars and together we stormed the salons trying almost everything available for tasting (which means I’ll skip the easy sexist joke).
The wines present were those awarded the highest ratings by a Spanish wine guide—the “Red” Guide, TodoVino—and the producers had been instructed to bring only those wines. Thank God some people are hard of hearing… ;^)
My notes are horribly sketchy because I’ve decided not to take written notes in crowded rooms anymore. I did my homework as soon as I walked into my hotel room. Alphabetically, which BTW is not how I taste:
Aalto PS 2001 14,2% 92-95
While it was pretty solid in the quality level we’ve grown used to expect from this producer, I saw nothing to raise it above that bar. Most harmonious and balanced in the company of many brute beasts, but measured against previous efforts I honestly didn’t find it dramatically better (cf. vintage reputation & RP rating) than the 2000.
Abadía Retuerta Pago La Garduña Syrah 2000 13% 92
New offering. A most convincing effort from this winery, with meaty syrah nose and pleasant mineral echoes. Judicious oak helps. I only fear the price…
Allende Blanco 2002 86
Most unremarkable in those circumstances.
Allende 2001 91+
Truly impressive, not just for a third wine. This is quintessential Rioja in a superb vintage and it shows. Drinking beautifully right now and showing excellent manners. For 12-14€ you can’t get anything better, likely not even close.
Altos de Lanzaga 2002 14% 91-92
Very closed in the nose upon pouring, this eventually opened and showed true-to-style elegance, but my wrist was aching by then. Fine French oak and good red berry fruit, with smoky notes and wanting integration. My last reference was the 2000 which I seem to remember as more convincing.
Amancio 2001 14% 96
One of the two or three real news of the session, and decidedly among the top five wines. It showed great concentration with no trace of clumsiness, dense chocolaty nose with good fruit core plus roasted coffee/smoky notes AND a clear sense of soil behind it. Beautifully balanced for its scale, this is no shy stuff—much in the line of the recent releases from the Eguren family—but it had a truly engaging nose and will develop even further. More serious than El Bosque (deeper, more complex, mineral)…and already more expensive too (70€)…
Artadi El Pisón 2002 13,5% 93-94
Again superb finesse for this label, which barely suffers the bad vintage. Elegance is still the word. Unfair comparison after the otherworldly 2001, I know, but here Peñín has rated the 2002 above the 2001. Most convincing topnotch Rioja, measured against the 2001/2003s of many other producers and still managing to impress.
Aurus 2001 14% 94-97
If the 2000 was outrageously good this is likely even better. Perfect balance between power and finesse, in a style that can be counted among the very best for its intelligent oak management and exquisite selection of fruit, achieving true depth in the nose and excellent persistence in the palate. “If you ain’t tried this you ain’t tried Rioja.”
Calvario 2001 93-94
Bolder and a tad less graceful than its sibling, this is nonetheless Calvario at its best (I own one and I’m a happy dude for it). Since last year it has integrated most of the oak and is in the process of regaining its charm. This was more closed than usual upon release, and I’m glad to see it will eventually bloom, in another year or so.
Gramona Celler Batlle Brut Gran Reserva 1997 11,5% 92+
For a Cava without a dollop of Chardonnay, this is as good as it gets. Let me tell you this is eye-opening. Great fruit, some biscuity complexity, and excellent acidity, especially for a 1997.
Chivite 125 Chardonnay 2002 13,5% 88
I’ll never understand Spanish Chardonnay…
Re: Lacres 2004-05 (&3)
Ver mensaje de GastronautaMauro VS 2000 14% 90-91
Less spectacular than the previous vintages (1998-99), this was nonetheless pretty good, showing the balanced house style but more like a good Mauro than a real VS.
Pagos de Viña Real 2001 90-91
The new label of CVNE’s Viña Real is a most convincing modern red that has everything you expect from Rioja in terms of good ripe fruit and intelligent oak, but in a perfectly civilized frame that invites the second sip.
Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada 2001 12,5% 89-90(+)
Unusually rich in RS, this seemed a tad flabby and lacking nerve (acidity).
Pintia 2002 14,5% 95
Here’s a 2002 that may turn out better than the 2001. Most impressive fruit, with excellent ripeness without excess, real complexity already and balanced mouthfeel. Very long too.
Pujanza Norte 2002 14% 92
A favorite house that has turned up a pretty solid bottling this vintage too. Good floral tempranillo notes mixed with the smoky oak and good finish.
Real de Asúa 2000 13% 91-92
Again a modern bottling from a classic house (CVNE’s Imperial). Perfectly swallable, but graced with modern-style fruit and oak treatment. It’d take a very deliberate side-by-side comparison, but my vote seems to place this one a notch above the Pagos de Viña Real, which is not necessarily how I remember it…
Remírez de Ganuza 2001 14% 92++
Again the real thing (i.e. another 2001) this is as good as expected from Remírez (even though there’s a whole production of Trasnocho subtracted from this bottling). More immediately appealing as such gorgeous years as 96 and 98, this nonetheless is not lacking concentration or structure. Still reasonably tannic, it proved nonetheless one of the more balanced huge reds of the tasting.
Santa Rosa 2000 14% 91
A prodigy of regularity, this is year in and year out one of the strongest Cabernet-based Spanish reds. Still most affordable (can be found for under 20€) it normally gives its best around its second Xmas in the market. I can recall the 98 and 99 as slightly better, but maybe it’s just palate fatigue. I will certainly retry, anyway.
Termanthia 2002 14,5% 94-96
Ah, there is the myth... It was most impressive, I must say, even though I had grown a clear resentment since the last occasion (in spring, when I waited too long for my sample of the 2001 and they “ran out of it”). I’ve learned my lesson, though, and asked for a sample unusually early in the session, to make sure I didn’t leave the salon without having tried it. Inky black, with the sort of tarry/plummy fruit you get in just-short-of-overripe Toro, the nose was pretty balanced for my expectations, and the palate rather civilized. As I’ve said, 2002 may end up giving excellent short-of-great wines after all.
Valbuena 5º 2000 14% 93-96
Here goes another classic that’s releasing superb stuff every year. Javier Ausás defined his 98 as “a tad rustic for the house,” his 99 as “elegant” and this 2000 as “the ideal blend.” I must be rustic in my preferences, but there was no denying the potential greatness of this offering. Muscular but perfectly balanced already, with turf/pencil notes gracing the still fairly fruit-forward nose, this will benefit from another couple of years if you can stay away from it now, which I doubt…
Viña Pedrosa 2001 (from magnum) 86
A fairly light offering for the vintage. Nowhere near bad, of course, but those who loved the unforgettable 1999 will be disappointed. I hope it means superb quality for the higher-end 2001 bottlings when they are released.
Re: Lacres 2004-05 (2)
Ver mensaje de GastronautaClos Martinet 2002 14,5% 92+
For a weaker vintage this was far from bad. If at all it was surprisingly approachable. Good fruit, nice chocolaty notes, pleasant mouthfeel already… After the rather tough 2001, I guess a poor vintage every now and then can’t be that bad. Maybe it pulls the prices down (not that Martinet is on the high-pricing side, to be fair).
Clos Mogador 2002 14,5% 92
Ditto for the Mogador. The most approachable in years and indeed not on par with the last…with the last…six or seven, I guess, but nothing to weep over either. It was still a very convincing effort that should be drunk before the 2000s and 2001s…
Contino El Olivo 2001 14% 93+
Here was a real beauty. Love in a bottle. Drinking perfectly (before closing down, I suppose), and most expressive in a modern Rioja profile, this was among the most serious and solid efforts of the evening. Glad I own…
Contino El Olivo 2003* 93-94
Barrel sample. To spread on toast. Gorgeous upfront fruit and smoky French oak. Bottle it now!
Contino Graciano 2003* 92-93
Better acidity but equally serious fruit, perhaps more austere/serious. We want this in the market now!
Dalmau 2000 14,5% 91-94
Surprisingly tough for the house style, this seemed to need another three years in bottle. Excellent raw material, but truly raw at the moment. Lots of oak for the fruit. We’ll see…
Finca Dofí 2002 14% 91
A disappointing effort this vintage. If this is normally more approachable young than most Priorats, this year it appeared decidedly weak. It may gain some structure with bottle age, but I wouldn’t bet my money on it…
Finca Garbet 2001 15,6% 97+
Best wine of the session, hands down. Classy stuff if there was any in that room. Unbelievably fine oak management, superb fruit and terroir in spades. What else do you need? Well, to begin with, over 100€ per bottle. One of the best noses I’ve tried EVER, and decidedly world-class wine. I had a sprained eyebrow when I read the alcohol on the label. Gorgeous dark fruit with earthy notes and gentle mouthfeel, impressive mineral echoes and superb persistence.
Finca Terrerazo 2002 14% 92
Most interesting fragrance but a slight excess of body right now. It may evolve into something as graceful as the nose suggests. We’ll see.
GR Pérez Pascuas 1999 13% 89
I think I’ve liked other Gran Reservas better (the 1996 for example). This was nothing special, which is odd for the generally high level of this house.
Gran Reserva Personal Manuel Raventós 1998 12,3% 90(+)
Again another excellent cava, with a far more traditional profile than the Celler Batlle, but almost equally impressive.
Gran Claustro 2001 90
Pretty solid effort from this house, though obscured by their unreal Finca Garbet.
Hiru 3 Racimos 2002 14% 92+
Excellent boutique Rioja from a mass-producing house (Luis Cañas). Initially with better mouth than nose, it had me swirling for quite a while and I’m glad I didn’t give up easily.
LdH Viña Tondonia 1985 12,5% 89
Traditional profile for this most traditional of producers. Warm spicy nose with candied fruit and good acidity. The only problem is I could have written this TN before trying the wine…
Leda 2002 14% 92
Surprisingly approachable for this house (remember the first vintage?) and making me think that monster houses need a weak vintage every once in a while to realize that wine should be drinkable as well as impressive. The 2002s show which houses use oak rationally and which apply a fixed recipe. This seems to be among the winners.
Malleolus de Valderramiro 2002 14% 93-94
As in spring, this is a most charming Ribera. Sure it is expensive, but at least you get a lot in exchange. More civilized than the last time, this exhibited excellent ripeness in the nose, with notes of coffee and smoky oak, real depth and perfect balance.
A couple of questions...
Ver mensaje de GastronautaTalking about Allende Blanco 2002... what do you mean with ";Most unremarkable in those circumstances";??????
I’ve never seen El Bosque by less than 75 €... Have you? So which is the ";real"; price of Amancio.... if is 70€ propably is a little bit cheaper than El Bosque....
Re: A couple of questions...
Ver mensaje de Paco HigónWell, the few whites and Cavas ";should"; have been enhanced by the company. The Cavas were excellent, the whites not quite so. If a white doesn’t excel in that company...if only by refreshing contrast...
El Bosque is/has been around Madrid for 60-65€ in many ECi-CG shops. At least for the whole past year. Now Lavinia has both 2002s as ";Novedades"; for around 70+ :^(