Bodegas Campillo Crianza 2000

I’ve got a bit of a cold this week, so there won’t much in the way of tasting notes this week. However, I tasted this one last week, this is the image of traditional Rioja as you would expect from Grupo Faustino. Its 100% Tempranillo that is aged in American oak for a whopping 22 months. These guy do have a very scenic and impressive Bodega, check out their website for a look see.

Mid strength red in the glass. A typical old Rioja nose with vanilla, strawberry, subtle cherry, an old leather pencil case full of shavings and a good whack of barnyard/chicken shed. Very smooth and medium boddied in the mouth with loads of wood tannins that soften towards the finish (fruit tannins?). The palate shows earthy cherry and plum, with some cinnamon and minerals. Not a lot here to get me excited, a bit too much oak and ‘terroir’ for my liking. If you’re a hardcore traditional Rioja nut, you’ll probably up this 1-2 points. 86 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $40 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegascampillo.es

Telmo Rodriguez Pago la Jara 2005

This is the top wine from Toro for Telmo Rodriguez and it must be hardest bottle in the world to take a photo of, its a good thing that the wine is bloody good. Toro generally grows big and bold fruit that can handle plenty of oak, so there is always a temptation to bung the wine in loads of new, high toast oak. As a result there are some oak milkshake type wines that come out of Toro, however this wine fruit shows through with great pruity and plenty of earthy, gamey character. There is some expertly handled oak in there too, but it’s aiming for best supporting actor, not the big gong.

Very dark in the glass, with a purple rim. The nose is off and going from the start: gamey dark cherry, blackberry, sarsaparilla, a shake of black pepper with some rose and violet high notes. In the mouth the tannins slowly build into big, soft things followed up by some minerally acid. A bit tight in the mouth, but showing show meaty, juby dark cherry with some sars, espresso coffee, and sage. A good long finish with a herbal note wraps it all up. It has all the stuffing to go well in the cellar for 3-4 years then drink well over the following 10. 94+ Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Cost: $130 Closure: Conventional Cork

Pesquera Crianza 2005

Pesqurea has to be one of the most well know producers in Ribera del Duero and introduced many people to the style of wine from the regions. For sure, the juicy, juby fruit that characterises Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero is a long way from daggy oak treatment and the 100 rackings that old school Rioja has as its trademark. I wouldn’t really call this a modern wine these days, but even so even there the fruit shines through and the oak treatment is reasonable.

A classic Pesquera nose of blackberry, blackcurrant, dark cherry with a clay/earth note, violets, some herby undergrowth and a touch of iodine. The usual gamy notes and a bit of cow shed are there too. Smooth in the mouth, but focused and purposeful. The tannins take a while to appear, but when they do they add some texture and a bit of grittiness that is most welcome. More black currant and cherry pie on the palate with a bit of blueberry, a bit of pepper and star anise. This is showing well at the moment, but will fill out over the next 5 years and drink well for 10 after that. 93+ Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars RRP: $48 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.pesqueraafernandez.com

Bodegas Finca Vaqueros I’Corus Condado 2003

This wine is a bit older and gets a couple of extra months in American oak than its younger brother, Quinta, and its all the better for it. Again, its a fairly savoury and rustic wine with some amazing acid and balance.

A bit of VA on opening that blows off, then its into the good stuff: musky black current, dark cherry, and a touch of blueberry with some thyme, sage and barnyard. Great mouth feel and balance, with some minerally acid that really drives. Fine but firm tannins. A savory and juicy palate that mirrors the nose. This is more about the structure, but the fruit is great too. I could drink a lot of this. 91 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $25 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasfincavaqueros.com

Bodegas Finca Vaqueros I’Corus Quinta 2005

Well this is a surprise package, a really interesting Spanish wine for well under $20. It’s not the usual sunny fruit, simple but good value wine. Its well and truly in the old school camp, but it has plenty of character and rustic charm. I drank this after the 04 Roda I, which is kind of like a Barry White song (smooth and polished with plenty of bottom end), where as this is more like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (full of angles, lo-fi and not everyone gets it).

If you’re not happy with gamey characters or a bit of VA, stay well clear, on the other hand if you like savoury, rustic wines like Chianti you’ll love this. Bodegas Finca Vaqueros are based just out of the Ribera del Duero DO at Tuelda del Duero. The wine is 100% Tempranillo that gets a dunk in American oak for a couple of months.

A really interesting nose: coffee, a bit of VA and crushed ants, roast lamb with rosemary, leather, violets with some subtle dark cherry, mulberry and cranberry. Its quite meaty and savoury, with a great bit of acid down the middle of the palate. Soft fruit tannins and plenty of good stuff on the palate: blackberry and dark cherry, roast meat, licorice, rosemary and sage. A very enjoyable, rustic gem that is priced so that you can drink it any night of the week. 88 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $17 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasfincavaqueros.com

Roda I 2004

I get more emails about the two Roda wines than any other. For the last month or so I’ve been getting one almost every day about the 04s, which have just been realeased. The two big questions seem to be 1. are they as good as the 2001s and 2. have they gone up in price? The answer is yes to both.

Roda I follows its usual formula for 2004, 100% Tempranillo from 30 year old vines, 50% new oak for 16 months, then 20 months in bottle. This 04 Roda is highly drinkable, so watch out.

Things kick off with a powerful nose of mocha, blackberry, black current and dark cherry liqueur and adds some earthy undergrowth, vanilla and anise as it gets more air. It slips into the mouth, thanks to some very impressive velvety tannins. Its not that complex on the palate at the moment, but Roda I usually needs a couple of years to strut its stuff. What it is showing now is some lush fruit and plenty of potential: black current, dark cherry and stewed mulberry. Some deft wood treatment and bit of sage towards the finish. I’d cellar this for 5 years, then drink over the following 10. 94 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Cost: $125 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.roda.es

Telmo Rodriguez Altos de Lanzaga 2005

I think most people would agree that Telmo Rodriguez’s wines are modern in style, so it’s surprising to see that he uses many old school techniques like big concrete fermenters, and big old wooden vats (with a bit of modern know how).

This is Telmo’s top wine from Rioja and he pulls out all the stops here. He has 10 acres of vines in a number of plot that is located up in north east of Rioja around the village of Lanciego for this wine. The vineyards are managed along Biodynamic lines, with an average vine age of 70 years and very low crop levels (at times under 400 Kg/acre). And while you could describe Telmo’s wines as modern, he uses some old school techniques too. The grapes used here are trodden in big concrete lagres, then fermentation occurs in big, open wooden vats.

One of the criticisms I’ve had about this wine in the past is the amount of high toast french oak is used. The fruit is up to that kind of treatment, and from what I’ve seen of older vintages the wood does integrate after a couple of years in the cellar. It’s not unusual for this level of oak in modern Rioja (or any where else in the world for that matter), but personally I’d like to see it turned down a notch or two. If bags of new oak and young, exceptional fruit blows your skirt up, you’ll love this. Otherwise, give it 2-5 years in the cellar before cracking a bottle.

Deep and dark red in colour, with some purple towards the rim. Plenty of heady wood aromas to start with: chocolate, espresso, vanilla bean and freshly cut wood. Underneath, bright fresh fruit comes through: dark cherry, plum and blue berry. Its very tight and young but shows a lot of promise. Plenty of texture in the mouth and the fruit is well done, restrained and just the right level of intensity and concentration. Dark cherry, plum, cola, mocha coffee, cinnamon and plenty of earthy minerals. The finish is long with a brush of soft fruit tannins. This will come out of the cellar after 5 years looking very smart. 93+ Pts

Source: The Spanish Acquisition RRP: $170 Closure: Conventional Cork

Ramon Bilbao Edicion Limitada 2004

I had a look at the 2003 version of this wine just a couple of weeks ago and said that I was looking forward to trying the 04. Someone must be reading, as it turned up in a box last week.

The 03 was a selction of 604 barrels, the 04 is 704. I’m assuming that 2004 was a more widely successful year in Finca Valpierre, as an extra 22,500l of this wine was produced. The 04 is much more open and accessable right now, I think the quality here will out shine the 03, but they are both excellent wines.

The nose shows earthy, musky fruit right from the start: cherry and plum, coco, anise and light cinnamon. There is some nice wood towards in the back stalls. Plenty of rustic appeal in the mouth: lots of light, soft tannins that build texture leaving you with a fuzzy mouth feel that gets cleaned off to give the impression of excellent balance. Cherry and mulberry pie in the mouth, adding some more anise and pepper. Rich, but very savoury. Elegant, but a bit rustic. For the price, I think this seriously over delivers. 93 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $35 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasramonbilbao.es

Other Vintages: 2003

Telmo Rodriguez Lanzaga 2005

These mid-level wines from Telmo Rodriguez are where the real value is. You can open them now and enjoy them, but they are priced so that you can buy a few and watch them develop over 10 years. I see the joven wines as a drink now proposition and the top level are definite cellar dwellers for the first 3-5 years.

And the 05s are a buy for me, I think they are the best set of wines that Telmo has released since I’ve been tasting them. Lanzaga from Rioja is my favourite in 05, which is a change from my usual attraction to M2 de Matallana.

The nose is instantly attractive with earthy cherry and mulberry, sage and thyme, and liquorice. There is some deft wood handling, with touches of vanilla, chocolate and coffee in the background. It slips into the mouth, silky tannins, the perfect level of acid and a big ol’ finish. Tight and young on the palate, but it shows enough to get me excited: cherry cola, a bit of musky plum, chocolate, and liquorice finished off by some hot cinnamon and a mineral note. Very drinkable now, but it will cellar well for at least 10 years. The pick of Telmo’s mid range in 2005. 93+ Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition RRP: $55 Closure: Conventional Cork

Other vintages: 2003, 2004

Vinedos de Paganos La Nieta 2005

Now this is a wine that will divide the modernists from the traditionalist. It’s expensive, highly expressive and extracted, limited production and very much a high expression Rioja wine. It’s from a single 1.7 Ha vineyard of Tempranillo that was planted in 1975 on trellis (which is unusual for Rioja) in the minerally clay high up in Rioja Alta near Laguardia. A lot of selection work is done for this wine, cluster selection in the vineyard then berry selection by hand in the bodega. It’s fermented then in to new French oak for 18 months. It’s presented in a way that makes me think Grand Cru Burgundy. Personally, I think its a great wine that needs to rest for at least 5 years before looking at it. But if you’re more of a traditionalist, you’ll be cursing Parker and his followers.

Very dark for Rioja, royal purple with black/red core. The wood is quite evident at the moment, mocha, a bit of caramel and some vanilla. Thats followed up by some stunning dark fruit: Dark cherry, blackberry and blueberry with some minerals and herbs layered in for extra complexity. Intensely flavoured in the mouth with plenty of soft fruit tannin but with the acid to back it all up. Its very masculine and youthful right now, but I sense that this is wine that will have have an identity crisis in its early teens and move to a more feminine mould. The palate shows dark cherry, black current, and ripe mulberry with plenty of minerals, sarsaparilla and iron type minerals. The finish is huge. If you’re not a traditionalist and get a kick out of all kinds of wine, you’ll love this. But keep your mitts off for at least 5 years, then drink over the following 15. 95+ Pts.

Source: Toro/Woods Wines Price: Around $300 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.eguren.com