Bodegas Franco-Espanolas, Rioja Royal Tete de Cuvee Gran Reserva

Un bon Rioja bien mûre mais pas au niveau du 1962 dégusté plus tôt cet été. Bien évolué sur des notes de sous-bois prononcé avec une belle trame de fruits mûre en bouche. L'acidité est encore au rendez-vous et bien agréable. Un vin qui surprend car on est définitivement sur des arômes secondaires mais en bouche le vin prend une autre dimension avec son beau fruit mure.

95 Espléndido vino. Entero, limpio, con notas de buena cuna. Muy bien desarrollado, imposible pensar que tiene 52 años. Increíble con un risotto con trufa negra.

Filling-level into the neck. The cork was soaked, with some seepage, but sat tight and came out with a pop. Medium garnet colour. Red fruit, a lovely high-class coffee note, mushroom, complex spice notes, cinnamon and balsamic notes, with fresh acidity, fully resolved tannin and very good persistence. Smoothly textured and quite harmonious. Light on its feet. Really came into its own after about two hours in a small decanter.

Wow. This wine was bonkers in terms of tertiary depth and flavor. Very primatoce yet light on its feet. Hints of stewed fruit, aged orange peel, balsamic vinegar, herbs, mushroom and wood forest. A beautifully integrated wine with notes Of top flight gru burgundy.

Slightly deeper red than the Cosecha Especial. A touch of VA and anise. Medium weight, more glycerine, blacker fruit, significant tannins and soil. Overall, a much harsher, less harmonious impression than the crianza wine. Believe it or not, this needed more time.

Perfect provenance, this seemed to be hanging on for dear life at first but turned out to just need some more air. A high-acid, savory/herbal wine, very fresh.

Medium center with browning at the edge. Surprisingly chocolatey first impression, then more balsam wood with some spice. Medium to light weight gaining more lightness over time. Incredibly sweet cherry fruit, fine acidity, minerality, and length. This became more perfumed and ethereal with air but was another 1970 Franco Espanolas that was amazingly alive and in fact, exciting. Outstanding mature Rioja.

Bodegas Franco-Espanolas tasting (Riga) : Markedly more vivid than same bottle of '64. More fruity on the nose, quite few tannins, more enjoyable and light. Interesting note of fresh cucumbers, may be meat, same wilted flowers, (others - coffee, jamon, ocean saltiness). No sediment at all.

Mellow, light, and smooth. Surprisingly translucent for the age. Decanting not necessary. Strawberries on the nose, leather on the palate. Delicious.

Euro-Themed Lunch - Spanish Riojas (Donato Enoteca, Redwood City, CA) : Quite translucent, clear in the glass. Rustic, sweet cherries, tobacco nose. Some spices. The palate is so soft. Tasty palate with hints of caramel on the finish. Gorgeous wine!

Bricked medium brown red color with pale meniscus; very appealing, toast, caramel, dried fig, tobacco, ginger, dried porcini mushroom nose; delicious, suave, velvety textured, tobacco, cigar box, toast, porcini mushroom, dried fig palate; long finish 95+ points

Actually a 700ml, amazing provenance and a near top shoulder fill. Cork intact, but unfortunately pushed through by my poor ah-so attempt. Double-decanted about 1 hour before service. Not too much sediment for such an old bottle. Very transparent ruby, slight bricking. Lovely nose of cherry, tobacco, ginger, spice. On the tounge, dancing red strawberry, cherry, and rhubarb balanced by a nice streak of acid. This still had tannin, but it only served to highlight the complex notes of mushroom, …