Arizcuren Rioja Barranco del Prado

At last showing some signs of emergence. Decanted for several hours, the vivid, pure, dark fruit is evident. It threatened to shut down at a few points. But, it finally seems drinkable and enjoyable, though patience is still recommended.

It’s all there but quite closed. Be patient!

Decanted with a taste after 6 hrs and then a day later. Difficult to rate this one fwiw because it is so screamingly young but also because it’s just on the edge of greatness. Loads of dark berries - blackberry, cherry - and rich fruit (pomegranate, plum). Tannins right now are pretty fierce, making it difficult to assess how this will develop. Even after a day in the decanter it had only started to budge. It needs many years in …

Small & intimate Covid-era dinner (Chez moi) : Triple decanted at least 6 hours prior. Much too young but I needed to check in with this. From a Grassl Cru, the infant fruit has great energy, juiciness as well as remarkable purity. The tannins insist on saying, “none shall pass!” But the complexity that seemingly can come only from very old vines and original rootstock is palpable nonetheless. Such a dichotomy that a wine that is fiercely structured at present …

Barrel sample in Arizcuren cellar: A remarkably elegant and pure expression of Garnacha. It has real gravitas. Should be a stunning wine.