Artadi, Vina Pison, Rioja

Ruby red with garnet and some orange peel. Lots of oak on the nose with nice red fruit and spice. Medium grippy tannins with refreshing acidity. Red cherries, black plum, spice, earth, oak and truffle. The finish is long with minerality and spice.

Very beautiful nose, full of finesse, with black fruit, leather, vanilla and medicinal herbs. Delicacy on the palate with a velvety texture. There is a touch of tobacco that comes through, coated with still bright black fruit. The palate undoubtedly lacks depth or power compared to more recent editions, notably the magnificent 1995 or even the 1998 that I drank previously. But the fact remains that the wine is elegant, an unusual register among Rioja. Second part of the mouth …

Fabulous drinking. Lively and sweet oak along with cherry, olive, herbal aromas. At a great place with regard to tannins, which have softened but are still very much in evidence. Vibrant acidity, succulent balsamic and sweet fruit. A notable mineral note, svelte structure, powerful yet feminine. Last bottle of this beauty, but it went out with a splash.

Disaster. Was really looking forward to this. I thought the whiff of TCA on the nose would blow off. Sadly not. Gutted.

Granato ancora luminoso. Naso molto minerale, con evidenti goudron e grafite, poi stemperati da menta, cacao, mirtillo, ampio ventaglio di spezie, nettissimo chinotto, ginepro. Bocca austera ma fresca e fruttata, incredibile la persistenza

A great example of traditional Rioja, aged to perfection and in an extremely enjoyable place. A few years left, but why wait....

Very dark red violet color; maturing, savory, tart red currant, leather nose; silky, delicious, red currant, paprika, raspberry palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (13.5% alcohol) 93+ points

this got my attention; generous spicy wild cherry flavors abound in a velvety texture; delicious.

Artadi tasting. The son of the producer came over to join us. (@ WB) : Beautiful mature bouquet. On the palate quite mature as well with a lot of (pleasant) acidity. Medium to full bodied. A beautiful and elegant, mature wine. Personally I would drink this wine between now and the next 2 - 3 years. It will probably not get any better.

Dark berry nose. Was very tight at first, with nothing but acidity and fierce tannins, but after 45 minutes developed and gave off licorice, smoke and Iberico ham flavors. Great in a modernist sort of way, more powerful than elegant and certainly still worth aging.

Spanish Dinner (Denver, CO) : Opened 2-3 hours and not decanted. An amazing wine. Like the Unico this had a remarkable elegance that is hard to describe. There were fresh cherries and a broadly painted mostly soft minerality that was so expressive that you almost wanted to ‘listen’ to it. Focused and almost linear tannins. In a cliché (but accurate) moment, Mark said this was Burgundian. Totally captivating.

NSMFOW October 2008--Blind BYO (The Grapevine, Salem, MA) : Light ruby color. Floral nose with cherry, leather, some earth. Palate of smooth red cherry, earth, kirsh with nicely integrated tannins. I guessed a mid-90s nebbiolo. Great wine.

Cold and tight initially, asertive balsamic nose, smoke and bit of sourness. Voluptuous and rich in the mouth, powerful, elegant. Sappy and youthful, getting even better with air.