Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
89
/100
Reviews
32
professional
Vintages
No vintages
NV
Community Reviews
3333
Reviews
89.3
Avg Score
93
Highest
Taster #3120
· Sep 21, 2024
89/100
Very nice Rioja, dry and fruity like it should be. nice dark fruit aroma overlaying leather and tanins. That said, it is time to drink it. I don't think it will gain much with more aging.
1996 vintage
Taster #3234
· Mar 3, 2019
93/100
I can't believe this is still going strong. The wine is just beautiful. It probably still has a few years of great drinking in it. But sadly, this was my last bottle of it.
2001 vintage
Taster #3373
· Jan 17, 2018
92/100
Plenty of life left. Not as complex as Alta wines but still a great rioja.
2001 vintage
Taster #8511
· May 5, 2017
Farve: Solid mørkerød, lidt støvet, lidt brun kant. Duft: Brombær, tobak. Smag: Lidt sveske, lidt vanilje, meget blød, ikke så kraftig, lidt krydderi. Indtryk: Lam, tapas. Karakter: 5. Drue: Tempranillo 100% Alkohol: 13,5%
2001 vintage
Taster #5315
· Mar 20, 2017
92/100
My last bottle. Well, save the best for last. Drinking just beautifully. Certainly, one of the great QPR out there. Prices for the recent vintages have been increasing. This was drunk against the 2010. Interesting comparison how the coconut of the 2010 can morph into the leather and gamy notes of the 2001.
2001 vintage
Taster #0046
· Nov 20, 2016
90/100
Much better than last bottle from 4 years ago. Good fruit, integrated oak and nice secondary characteristics. Med-full body. Nice long finish. Drinking well now, so sign of decline in this bottle. Good value.
2001 vintage
Taster #6449
· Jul 8, 2016
92/100
Wow. Beautifully aged Rioja, soft, balanced. I can't believe I paid only $24 for this!
1996 vintage
Taster #7391
· May 28, 2016
92/100
deep, rioja taste perfect but could wait another 2 yrs
2001 vintage
Taster #0283
· May 26, 2016
90/100
Still delicious, but starting to fade out a little. Time to drink up if you enjoy the fruit in this one.
2001 vintage
Taster #5315
· Apr 5, 2016
91/100
Hmm. While good, I'm missing the extra dimension from previous years.
2001 vintage
Taster #9284
· Nov 29, 2015
92/100
Delicious. Slightly more full body than traditional Rioja. Fruit is the focus, modest complexity. This will hold another 5+ yrs.
2001 vintage
Taster #0283
· Jul 20, 2015
88/100
Seems to be fading out. Not as enjoyable as previous bottles.
2001 vintage
Taster #3373
· May 29, 2015
91/100
Not as good as my last bottle. A little simpler, good, but missing some of the secondary notes I was expecting.
2001 vintage
Taster #3373
· Feb 23, 2015
92/100
A little more modern than la rioja alta. Just now starting to show some secondary notes. Easy to drink now but has plenty of life left.
2001 vintage
Taster #5315
· Nov 13, 2014
93/100
A prodigious wine that is just basking in the glory of middle age. Kaleidoscopic shades of complexity. Fur, game and dried meat. Tobacco and plum. All wrapped up in bright acidity and resolved tannin.
2001 vintage
Taster #8335
· Aug 25, 2014
92/100
Lovely wine with old world character. Olives, earth, cedar and bark on the nose. On the palate, the earthiness repeats with olives, cappers and a hint of green(herbs). Excellent length.
2001 vintage
Taster #0283
· May 10, 2014
92/100
Perfectly ready to drink. Nice and rustic. Opens up even more after an hour. Terrific.
2001 vintage
Taster #4506
· Feb 8, 2014
79/100
Horse poop galore here...woody & bretty, stop bringing this wine guys!
2001 vintage
Taster #4506
· Jan 27, 2014
80/100
Consistent with previous notes, awfully past due.
2001 vintage
Taster #8553
· Jan 18, 2014
91/100
This was my third bottle, the second of which was a little off. But this bottle, like the first, was just what you would hope for from an aged Gran Reserva-- nice graphite and fruit and depth of flavor that lasts for a couple of days. It is not profound like some other high end Spanish wines I have had but it is good. I have two more I will taste in the coming years. It could easily get even …
2001 vintage
Taster #9855
· Jan 7, 2014
89/100
Ouverte hier, une bouteille du dernier arrivage (environ un an). Boisé beaucoup plus marqué que les précédentes. Le nez était, par contre, superbe. On garde encore quelques années, pour pas dire plusieurs
2001 vintage
Taster #0837
· Dec 28, 2013
89/100
Le vin est encore foncé mais bien briqué sur le contour. Au nez, un peu de fruits, du cuir, des épices, un peu de champignon et de bois. En bouche, boisé fin sur une matière bien intégrée. Un peu de fruits, bonne dose d'épices et se boit très bien seul, mais accompagne bien aussi le plat (lasagne). Bien bon, mais une coche sous ma précédente bouteille bu l'été dernier.
2001 vintage
Taster #3714
· Dec 28, 2013
85/100
Un peu mieux que les autres bouteilles. Sur le tertiaires encor une fois mais moins mince et plus fondu. Finale courte encore une fois.
2001 vintage
Taster #4286
· Dec 25, 2013
91/100
The wine is garnet colored with medium legs. It smells like black currant, prune, raisin, and vanilla. On the pallet chocolate, game, tobacco, and mint are added to the mix. Medium-bodied with satin-like texture. 30s aftertaste. Three hour decant, paired with red dear steak. Winning combination.
2001 vintage
Taster #3714
· Dec 9, 2013
81/100
Encore une fois un vin sans intérêt... Trop de Boisé et de fumée qui écrase le fruit, amertume et tannins asséchants. Finale courte...bof!
2001 vintage
Taster #1248
· Sep 14, 2013
93/100
Degustacion Gran Reserva (Miami, FL) : This Baron de Ley was the wine of the night for many as the exotic fragrance of the American oak and the explosive red fruit took folks for a voyage in time. Extra smooth palate of red fruits, orange peel, Asian spice, all melted with vanilla and velvety tannins with a medium fatty finish. This Rioja will be very appealing if you're not put off by barrel imparted flavors and has great balance and …
2001 vintage
Taster #0837
· Aug 24, 2013
90/100
GRenat assez foncé avec le contours brique. Nez vraiment charmant avec ses arômes de fruits rouges, d'épices (cannelle, muscade), bois, mais aussi cuir et une touche de sous-bois. En bouche le vin montre un peu moins de finesse avec une bonne poigne, surtout en milieu de bouche ou les tannins montrent qu'ils sont là et qu'ils peuvent encore s'adoucir. Suit des saveurs de fraises cuites, bonbons à la cerise acidulée, un beau côté épicé / bois et de café au …
2001 vintage
Taster #3156
· Apr 15, 2011
88/100
Lovely bright ruby. Nose is powerfully oaked and packed with fresh wild strawberry and deep prune fruit. Medium-bodied with good richness, lithe and light on its feet. A little broad red cherry before it melts into a moderate but balanced finished. Good acidity and really nothing at all to fault here. Maybe lacks that x-factor, but a quality Gran Reserva well made with excellent fruit drinking really well right now. Ever-so-slightly caught between 2 stalls - not big and bold …
1996 vintage
Taster #6910
· Dec 10, 2010
88/100
Bill's Monthly Lunch - December 2010 (Vancouver, BC) : Tasted blind – deep ruby with some bricking at the rim. On the nose there is much more noticeable American oak then the ’96 Ganuza—a little too much in my opinion. In the mouth it’s creamy and soft with flavours of sweet and ripe dark fruits and vanilla. A very nice wine but I preferred the Ganuza that was served right before this. I’d say hold for the oak to integrate …
1996 vintage
Taster #5617
· Jan 27, 2008
90/100
Dark and heavy. Almost reminded me of an aged Barolo; tar and anise coming through on the nose, with a rich spicy palate. Not overly influenced by oak, unlike many Riojas, and better for it.
1996 vintage
Taster #6892
· Jan 21, 2007
84/100
Dark with brownish reflections. Some fruit in the nose. Light bodied, soft tannins and high acidity in the finish. Taste of plum, with short to medium finish.
1996 vintage
Taster #5696
· Nov 25, 2006
89/100
Delicious. Plum, Leather, Tobacco, Cherry, Eukalyptus and Marcipan in the Nose with a lush ripe taste.
1996 vintage
Taster #3051
· May 6, 2006
89/100
Pennastokkur, fjósalykt, ögn leður.
1996 vintage