Peter Sultan

9.2

Part 2, actually. Clearly I lost count. Not as powerful as the 2007 Ardanza but is super fresh. So many years to go too — 3 days ago

with Owen

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Brilliant blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. Dark chocolate covered cherry aromas and flavors with notes of espresso, bacon, vanilla and clove. Juicy acidity and beautiful balance. Ripe and decadent. — 7 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Deep Ruby with aromas of red fruit and oaky and spice. On the palate flavors of ripe cherry and blueberry with black pepper and cacao spice with lively acidity. Fine tannins, medium finish ending with oaky spice and earthy character. Good value! Drink now! — 20 days ago

Martin Sher

9.3

Always solid qpr for me. Pleasant vanilla, moderate weight. Perfect weeknight quaff. — 6 days ago

Daniel Leonard

9.2

Concentrated dried cherry and red fruits with some cigar and leather. Medium, slightly sweet finish backed up by some tannin. Drinking nice now — 6 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! Tried several bottles! — 3 days ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2016 Viña Alberdi Reserva is 100% Tempranillo and old school all the way. Its spicy cherry, candied rose, coconut and tobacco qualities and silky texture make it immediately seductive, but it will age effortlessly, too. It’s a terrific wine from a fantastic vintage. $25.00 (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, April 2021) — 15 days ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.5

Aroma is uncanny; a perfume of rose petals and coconut cream wafting from the glass. Totally beguiling. Vanilla and marzipan lead the way with fresh and dried red berries, red cherries, dried flowers and orange peel. So polished, but this needs more time for the oak and fruit to integrate. The 2010 Ardanza remains my favorite now for its classical balance. — 7 days ago

Delectable Wine

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9.7

Brilliant ruby. A hugely perfumed bouquet evokes spice-accented red and dark berry preserves, potpourri, pipe tobacco and vanilla, and violet and mineral accents emerge as the wine stretches out. Palate-staining blackberry, cherry-vanilla, cassis, fruitcake, mocha and candied licorice flavors show superb depth and clarity while hints of floral pastilles and Moroccan spices add complexity. Gains weight with air, with no loss of energy, showing powerful, spicy thrust on a strikingly long, gently tannic and floral-driven finish. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, April 2021)
— 12 days ago

Peter Sultan

9.3

Part 6, day 2. No notes. A bigger Rioja expression than Rioja Alta drunk earlier, & better — 2 days ago

with Owen