Bodega Bilbainas, Vina Pomal Gran Reserva, Rioja

Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind Spanish Wine (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL) : Tasted double blind in Spanish tasting. Earth and red cherry in equal proportion. Elegant and charming with good+ length.

Upped my rating to 92...wonderful, wonderful wine for under £20. Delicious...wish I'd bought more! Drinking right NOW! Cheers...

Bangs to buck ratio? SUPERB! A real delight...tasty old Rioja for under £20. Really delighted, start to finish. Cheers...

Had to open after a long travel day. For my brother's 50th. One cork crumbles, one is wet right through and slides out like a pro. Both wines were excellent and very pleasurable to drink. Sediment was probably mixed in but did not seem overly heavy. Nose improved with 2 hours of air to reveal light cherry, mushroom and Carmel notes. Complex. Palate has same notes plus a leather and slight tar aspect. Overall a great experience with resolved tannins, …

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Now here is that rare old Rioja that avoids the sour ending and really shows a wonderful complexity on the finish. Lovely soft flavors of black cherry and dried spices with a silky, ethereal texture not unlike a Burgundy. The finish is filled with complex notes of herbs, cherry-wood and sweet earth. Very fine!

Great development on the nose - lovely spiced nuanced fruit; good flavour, this has developed nicely. Finishes with the oak, quite smooth though a bit short.