Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Latitud 42 – Tempranillo / 2021
Rioja DOCa – Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
Crafted from 100% organically grown Tempranillo grapes, this Rioja brings a modern, clean expression of Spain’s most iconic red variety. The Latitud 42 name reflects the geographic latitude that cuts across Rioja, highlighting its unique terroir.

Aromas & Flavors
Vivid red cherries, plums, and hints of blackberry balanced by subtle spice, vanilla, and a whisper of tobacco. Touches of dried herbs and graphite add elegance.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with supple tannins, lively acidity, and a smooth, fruit-driven finish. Fresh and accessible, yet with enough structure to remind you it’s Rioja.

Food Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, roasted vegetables, Manchego cheese, or classic Spanish tapas like chorizo and patatas bravas.

Verdict
A vibrant, organic Rioja that’s both authentic and approachable, showing the classic Tempranillo charm with a sustainable touch. Perfect for everyday sipping or casual food pairings. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Rioja was Spain’s first region to earn the prestigious Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) status, a recognition of its centuries-long dedication to quality winemaking. — 8 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

A 7 grape blend: 42% Cab Franc, 25% Merlot, 15.5% Syrah, 6% Cab Sauv, 6% Petit Verdot, 4.5% Sangiovese & 1% Alicante. Deep Ruby with aromas of ripe dark fruits, cedar and spice. On the palate flavors of blueberry and blackberry with herb and woodsy notes. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with fruit and mineral character. Very nice! — 2 years ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.1

Fruit and oak on the nose, plum and blackberry notes. A really good cab. — 3 years ago

Lyn Farmer

10

Very elegant with silky, polished tannins and lovely floral notes of violet. Leather, black cherry, blueberry, warm wood notes of delicate vanilla, espresso, mocha, tobacco leaf and a background note of mushroom and vanilla. Good long finish.
This wine is 47% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. — 4 years ago

Scott A

9.0

I rock with it. Lots of flavor — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.0

#kosherwineSunday

Pale lemon in color with a green hue.

Fruity nose of citrus, limes, lemons, grapefruits, green apples, spices, herbs, minerals, sea salt and white pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium-plus acidity and long legs.

Dry and crispy on the palate with lemons, citrus, green apples, grapefruits, herbs and spices.

Long finish with limes and almonds.

This 3 year old Sauvignon Blanc/ Chardonnay blend is drinking very nicely now. Still nice and crisp, and good for the pool. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Really shows the complexity when not too cold. Better after 30 minutes of airtime and nicer when not very chilled.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a gorgeous day by the pool.

A blend of 58% Sauvignon Blanc and 42% Chardonnay grapes from the Judean Hills region. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

13% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$33. — 6 years ago

Jennifer Pletcher

8.9

Tart, apples and strawberries. — 8 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

A nice way to toast my daughter’s 33rd Birthday! Blend of Chardonnay (42%), Pinot Noir (39%) and Meunier (18%). Straw gold color. Ripe apple hits both the nose and palate immediately with additional notes of pie and bread dough, lemon, apricot, white flowers and fresh herbs. Distinct chalky/nutty note on the finish. Rich and full bodied. Acidity was a bit lighter than expected. Quite dry but extremely fruit forward. A bit lacking in effervescence and mousse but still quite enjoyable. Thank you for sharing and Happy Birthday, Kase! — a year ago

Jeffrey Woo

9.2

Dark ruby hue. Medium-plus tannins and acidity. Notes of bell pepper, blackberry, blueberry, bramble, and tar. Stark on the nose, but brilliant and smooth on the palate, with grippy tannins. 51 Merlot, 42 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7 Petit Verdot. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

I am a big fan of David Swift Phinney wines. In 1998 David founded Orin Swift Cellars; Orin is his father’s middle name and Swift is his mother’s maiden name. Aged 10 mos in French oak, 42% new, Ruby with complex aromas of fresh fruits, floral and herb spice, nice mouthfeel. On the palate flavors of raspberry and cherry with cacao and hints of pepper spice. Rich full chewy tannins, well balanced on long finish ending with fruit and earthy spice. — 4 years ago

Asiel

9.0

Good taste, not precisely light, but fruity and smooth. Good alone and with food. My girl loved it. — 5 years ago

David L

9.2

18’ Epoch White 47% Grenache Blanc, 42% Viognier, 11% Roussanne
Explosive nose of tangerines, apricot, white flowers.
Pineapple, pear, lime, stone fruits ,heavily driven minerality & modest acidity. Perfect pairing with spicy sushi tuna rolls. Edit- better now than it was a year and a half ago. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Israel.

Inky in color with a short reddish/brick rim.

Fruity nose with blackberries, blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, light cedar, spices, cola, tobacco leaf, black tea, alcohol, coffee, milk chocolates, light herbs and black pepper.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with cooked plums, black currants, coffee, cedar, vanilla, spices, earth, milk chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn and light vinaigrette.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a wonderful Merlot blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity and well balanced with a great mouthfeel. Really enjoyed the nose here, even after a few minutes out of the bottle.

This four year old is already yummy right out of the bottle, but better after a couple of hours in a decanter.

I've had this before, and this time I decided to give it a slight chill, and boy it was delicious.

Nice buttery mouthfeel, even looks buttery when poured. Drinking very nicely now.

Very tasty and fruit forward. Dark, extracted and rich. Feels like a Napa Bordeaux blend.

A blend of 42% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit verdot and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 18 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and Kosher. Mevushal.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Light nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate and complex.

Showing red cherries, currants, black plums, light oak, spices, herbs, earth, chocolates, licorice and peppercorn.

Medium finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Pauillac. Spicy and fruity. Smooth and elegant, with good structure and balance.

This 10 year old still feels young, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years.

Robert Parker 90 points.

I had a few different vintages of this wine and it is very consistent, and much better with age.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will pair nicely with food too.

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. Aged in (60% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points

$60. — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby , terracotta /garnet rim. Quite round and ripe , red plum , cigar and ripe blackberry, touch of soy . Touch of cocoa , blackberry and ripe dark cherry , black tea . Quite sweet , rich on the palate, generous for Las Cases , slightly dried fruit , fig and red plum . Pretty decent length , balanced but quite discreet acidity , rounded tannins . This is at peak now and I don’t see much up side from here , so best to drink over the next 5 years or so, though it did hold up in the glass quite well . Atypical for Las Cases with its ripe fruit, quite low acidity , sweet tannin: also this only has 42% Cabernet Sauvignon. Overall probably the least successful of the wines in this tasting , but the level overall was very high. — 2 years ago

Sheena Kwon

8.9

Review said sweet, stewed like peach. Dessert wine. — 4 years ago

Lowell Su

9.1

85% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano. Lush berries with hints of spice. — 4 years ago

Bradford H. Sanders

8.9

A decent Washington Cabernet - bad nose but decent taste - light for a Cabernet. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Dates back to the late 1800s, & have been owned by Solari family since 1948. The historic Estate has 145 acres. Deep Ruby with complex aromas of fruit, sweet cacao & spice for this Bordeaux blend of 42% Merlot, 35% Cab Sauv, 13% Malbec. 5% Petit Verdot & 5% Cab Franc. On the palate well structured with big fruit flavors of blackberry, raspberry & sweet cherry with espresso & cacao notes adding a bit of leather. Fine tannins, big finish, pops out of the glass ending with beautiful fruit & a bit of sweet oak. — 6 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.7

2012 Vintage. 42% Syrah, 28% Petit Verdot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Grenache. Sounds like a strange blend, but man was this happening. Opened as our second 2012 for the Zoom tasting. Knocked our socks off! — 6 years ago