Faustino, I Gran Reserva, Rioja

Drank well drank firm drank fast! And, as I have just noticed, i am definately contradicting my previous entry on thus one.

2009 vintage

The wine was best in the beginning after decantning and then it was oxidated quickly. Coffee, plum, dark berries and oak on the nose and no dill. One feels clearly that the wine is old but still with with fresh acidity.

2004 vintage

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2001 vintage

This is old style Tempranillo blend. Modern Spanish wine drinkers that want the fruit to smack them in the face will hate this wine. Secondary aromas waft from the glass, tobacco, earth, spice, cinammon. It still has some vivid tannin and acid and will hold for several more years. It was a nostalgic drink--in a good way. 92/100

2009 vintage

Deep dark fruit, still Going strong for another few years. Delicious!

2004 vintage

Superb well aged Rioja. Drink now

2001 vintage

After 3 hours in decanter: Rich nose of blackberries, mulberries, black cherries, coffee grounds, eucalyptus and fertile, black earth. Medium to full-bodied. This is round on the palate with loads of brooding black fruits, some herbal notes such as rosemary and eucalyptus as well as damp, tilled garden soil, an hint of blood orange and cedary oak. There’s a real sense of elegance and youthfulness here. This definitely needs at least 2 hours post-decant to show its best. This may …

2004 vintage

10 years after my last note, and this wine has aged gracefully, as it will for the next decade I expect. A hint of leather. Restrained oak flavour. Beautiful balance. Less characterful than say La Rioja Alta or CVNE, but still a wine of beauty. 13.5%, cork.

2001 vintage

Dyp mørk sort konsentret fage , litt " tyktflytende. Rene blå toner. I kant. Lukket lukt til å begynne ned ga lær, tobakk, og tørket kirsebær når luftet halv time. Utvikler deg veldig i glasset. Anrundes slepne tanniner, God munnfylde og en del fruktighet kommer tydeligere frem etterhvert. Absolutt en kjørtvin. Men ble god til nippe til alene. Myknet enda mer og fikk mer fylde på dag 2. Overraskende lettdrikkelighet. Hadde forventet mer eik. God.

2005 vintage

Another excellent bottle of this, too bad it's my last. fully mature.

1996 vintage

Ble litt mer enn 5 år. Litt rå og urein rett etter åpning. Rongnebær, tobakk. Kraftig. 3 dager: lite endring.

2001 vintage

Ultra-smooth, lighter body, no noticeable oak, captivating, drank like a fine burgundy. Did not decant.

2001 vintage

Distinctly brownish and showing its age. Smells old, dusty, and a hint of oxidation. But the palate is quite lively, even spicy, and this is actually drinking very nicely.

1989 vintage

Showing quite mature, but also vibrant. Side by side with the 1989, this is fresher, with notable cherry and plenty of structure, though tannins are all but resolved. Quite enjoyable, but I'd recommend drinking sooner rather than later.

1994 vintage

Ruby, crimson colour. Muted nose with primary flavours of red cherry and strawberry with a hint of savouriness emerging. Medium body, easy drinking style but lacks the concentration you expect of Gran Reserva.

2004 vintage

Decent restaurant wine - not one I'd want to pick up again. Decanted this one for a few hours. Has acidity to age longer, but the flavor profile isn't one that is worthy of aging at this point. Fruit seems to be fading. Poor QPR.

2004 vintage

Perhaps a bit more leathery than last time (11.04.2020). Otherwise quite similar. High quality. Very much alive and kicking, will last another decade, I suspect.

2001 vintage

This is still going strong. Savory aromatics, a little lifted and stewed, very elegant, showcasing red and black fruit, sweet tobacco, and woody spices. Bright and succulent in the mouth, nicely structured, with plump fruit, tingly spices, and a profile that gains depth, weight, and complexity with air. Long and resonant on the woody and sultry finish.

2004 vintage

En mogen primär doft av torkade jordgubbar och körsbär. De sekundära aromerna av fat är närvarande med vanilj, choklad och lite karamell. De tertiära aromerna är även fullt utvecklade med svamp, balsamico och den klassiska dill tonen. På paletten finns fortfarande syra kvar och tanninerna har mjuknat ordentligt efter 21 år. Inte det mest komplexa vinet, speciellt inte jämfört med Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva 2004.

2004 vintage

Wow. Absolutely alive after almost 50 years. Filling was approx 1,5 cm below cap so high hopes before opening. Cork was soft and gave some struggle to avoid breaking. Mature, but fresh on the nose giving hope that the wine had survived - and yes it had. Stayed the same after 30-45 minutes in the glass.

1976 vintage

Bjørnebær, kirsebær, lær, fat og litt jordkjeller. Fin myk frukt, avslipte tanniner og medium syre. Klar for å nytes i glasset, men beholder litt Rioja trykk.

2009 vintage

很差，不新鲜的微cork味

2001 vintage

Continuing to age gracefully but won't improve, IMO. In a good place if you still like some fruit with tertiary aromas and flavors.

2001 vintage

OK. Needs air, so decant an hour before use.

2004 vintage

A mature wine that has stood the test of time remarkably well. It is in a great place right now. The nose is expansive, with leather, tobacco, spices, and sweet-sour fruit. The wine is well-structured on the palate with a fine balance of acidity. Full-bodied, with dark fruit, tobacco, and leather."

2004 vintage

Popped and poured for Thursday evening Warriors game. Nose: Pipe tobacco. Earthy, dark fruits. This is an aged Gran Reserva Rioja. Color: Dark opaque red with no browning at rim. Excellent. Palate: Dark plums and tobacco, with massive whack of tannins coating your mouth. Long finish and in serious need of some grilled lamb chops. This wine should hold up for another 5 years+. Cork was impeccable.

2001 vintage

A really nice wine that went well with Paella Day at the event I was at where about twenty five Spanish wines were opened. Terrific wine and food combination today. Can’t wait for the next years. Wine was balanced and had a good nose, nice mouthfeel and finish. Didn’t make the top wines of the flight but it was awfully good.

2001 vintage

Encore très bien. Beaucoup de notes tertiaire. Terre, cuir, champignons, prune. En bouche c est bien rond, ampleur moyenne. Finale sur des notes de cuir. Pour un vin de 31 ans, il se porte très bien.

1994 vintage

Corked

1996 vintage

Still fantastic

1982 vintage

Good wine. Ready to drink.

2009 vintage

Delicious! Prunes, cherry, leather. Good residual acid.

2001 vintage

Mature smelling with baked black cherries, thyme, rosemary, cedar and old oak. Medium-bodied, this is round with plenty of sweet fruit left. Ripe fresh and baked black cherries, cedar, blood orange and spicebox. Great now, this should have many years of life left. Drink now-2030+ 93

2004 vintage

Did not look its age. Drank well without having to decant or breathe for long. Really enjoyable

2001 vintage

This was a PnP. Don’t think you need to decant this. It is ready from the get go. Chocolate, vanilla and spices are prominent on the nose. I’d say quite balanced and a good yet cheap wine for holiday gatherings. Easily appreciated by the general crowd and still provides a good QPR. Cork was surprisingly soft but used a Durand so no issues extracting the cork. Doubt it will improve in the bottle. Probably will still last for a decade …

2001 vintage

Wonderful. Nose of dried herbs de Provence, with hints of cocoa and coffee beans. Beautiful palette. Smooth integrated tannins medium bodied with layers of dark fruits, cinnamon and lavender. Long finish. Certainly at its peak but can hold in the cellar for 3-5 more years. Served with Arroz con Pollo.

2005 vintage

Corked. Rats!

1982 vintage

Drukke sammen med 2011-årgangen. Mørk rød farge. Lukter mørke bær og litt eik. Smaker av mørke bær. En del syre. Litt eikesmak. 2005 er mildere og snillere i munnen enn 2011. 2005 sitter igjen litt lenger enn 2011-årgangen. Hadde holdt i mange år til.

2005 vintage

Cherries, soy sauce, leather, sea water — has come together nicely over the past several years. This seems to me to be on the front end of maturity, with plenty under the hood for years of future enjoyment. Also good now.

2001 vintage

Dufter av tre og moden rød frukt. Frisk syre og krydret moden frukt og avslipte tanniner.

2005 vintage

better than before. Tasted fruit forward with vanilla and oak in the end. Ok with steak and baked potatoes

2009 vintage

At the risk of accusations of hyperbole, I have to say that this is absolutely textbook GR. I would compare it to my last LRA Res Esp 2001 in complexity, harmony and sheer pleasure. This has to be the bargain of the wine world (always supposing you like Rioja). Well done.

2001 vintage

Leather, mushroom and cigar with cured jamon. Sweet black cherry, strawberry, tree bark and liquorice mingle seamlessly with minerally saline and lightly spicy finish.

2001 vintage

Soft tannins. Stone fruits and tobacco. Great.

2009 vintage

Leather. Dark dark fruit. Insanely smooth tannins. Extremely balanced, and very tasty cherry finish. Shocked it was 2004. Imagine how good this will be in 5 years?

2004 vintage

Dark fruit remains with tobacco and vanilla in the foreground. Some coconut and dried figs on the finish. Still drinking well with balanced body and sure structure.

2005 vintage

Even after 19 years in the cells, this Rioja is full of fruits, lightly caramelized with soft tannins! Amazing!

2005 vintage

My final bottle of this. Classic Gran Reserva loads of gravelly red fruits with fine tertiary notes. After an hour, though, strats to dry out and become tannic and lean. May need drinking soon though the fruit is still good. Pop and pour rather than give a long decant.

2001 vintage

Consumed over 30 minutes with friends at local wine shop. An excellent example of Rioja Gran Reserva, still showing nice bright fruit at 15 years with soft tannins along with tertiary tobacco and earthy notes. Wonderful wine with years of good drinking left.

2009 vintage

Cork was in great shape, a bit stained at the bottom. Decanted for half an hour. Rather subdued on the nose showing a bit pungent dark fruit, and a hint of spice and leather. Medium bodied, smooth and supple, still quite youthful, delivering good dark fruit with resolving but still firm tannins, and subtle notes of oak and a hint of tobacco. Very solid but lacking perhaps the wow-factor. Can still hold for many years.

2004 vintage

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Faustino, I Gran Reserva, Rioja

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