Severn Goodwin

9.2

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this evening with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Our Pops conductor Keith Lockhart is leading a live-to-picture performance of Star Wars: A New Hope, a showing of the classic 1977 film, with the Orchestra performing Mr. Williams’ iconic score.
For live-to-picture productions, the orchestra performs the entire movie score in real time as the film unspools. (Vocals, dialogue and effects are isolated from the original music track.)
Generally we get to hear Star Wars scores a couple times per season here at Tanglewood, but tonight we get a chance to hear them with the backdrop of the movie (Episode IV) that launched a franchise, to say the least!

I celebrated another full trip around the sun, since my coming into this world, earlier this week. Tonight my wife, some dear friends and me will be enjoying some enticing wines along with our movie night. So notes...maybe, but I'll try! — 9 days ago

Amy Huson

8.9

Ripe aromas and flavors of black fruit, vanilla, and wet earth. Fresh acidity and elegant yet grippy tannins. Medium finish with flavors of dark chocolate and espresso. Super value! Small family winery in Rioja Alavesa with attention to quality. — 21 days ago

Conrad Green

8.9

Soured cherry and gnarly fruit with herbs. Cool blooded but there are some slightly scorched and over ripe notes. I think not a great bottle more than a wine that is generally past it’s prime. — 10 days ago

with Chris

Paul Hoffert

8.9

This Rioja has a slightly odd smell on the nose. Reminded me of my friends father’s yard waste compost pile. Not a bad smell just sort of odd. Luckily this tasted way better than it smelled. Dark fruits, little bit of cigar box. This finished nicely. These are great everyday drinking wines. — 7 days ago

Connor Smith

9.2

With the Wine Blight laying waste to her vineyards, France went from 8:1 exporter in 1870 to 6:1 importer in 1887. Legions of wine farmers faced total financial ruin. With no cure - or even a proper diagnosis - in sight, many saw no option but to flee to lands not yet affected.

The influx of institutional knowledge that flooded into former backwater wine regions like Rioja catapulted them into relevance, and soon matured into a world-class standard. The farmers had found respite, but couldn't run forever. By the time Phylloxera crossed the Pyrenees, however, there would be new ways to fight back.

French botanist Jules-Emile Planchon had a theory. If the blight was caused by a microscopic American insect as he suspected, perhaps grafted European varieties on American rootstock would be resistant. This would be confirmed by Missouri entomologist Charles Riley, and with millions of rootstocks supplied by Texas horticulturalist T.V. Munson, the Wine Blight was soon in remission.

(This is adapted from notes for Le Dû’s Wines ‘History of Wine 1453AD-Present’ seminar, where this wine was poured) — 5 days ago

Kyunghan Lee

9.0

Goes right through your throat. Very smooth. Not as dry as I thought but still, the viscosity is there. Fruity after taste. A little stingy. — a day ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.0

Night 1 in Maui. This is a lighter styled Rioja. Red berries & sappy oak notes mingle on the nose & palate. Grippy tannins & hints of dill linger on the finish. Very good way to start things off. — 5 days ago

Evan Bienstock

9.3

Excellent! Opened up very nicely from a decanter. Cigar and smoke were very present as was aged oak. Dark fruit was abound. I really liked this. — 4 days ago

William Hughes

9.3

Pretty close to my last notes. Definitely needed the time to come into tasty Rioja phase. Cherries, fig, tobacco, herbs de Provence. Awesome with pizza. — 19 days ago

Luciano Silva

9.0

I liked the velvety feeling in the palate yet a little bit astringent. It went well. It had body and notes of pequi. — 5 days ago

with Stephen