Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Ruta 49 – Albariño – 2024
Rías Baixas DO – Galicia – Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
A vibrant and easygoing Albariño from Rías Baixas that overdelivers on freshness and approachability. Crafted in a style that leans into pure drinkability, yet still captures the Atlantic character of the region.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright citrus, green apple, and pear lead the profile, with subtle hints of white peach and a light saline touch. Clean, expressive, and immediately inviting.

Mouthfeel
Light- to medium-bodied with crisp, refreshing acidity. Clean and zippy, with a smooth, easy flow that makes each sip feel effortless and dangerously repeatable.

Food Pairings
Shellfish, ceviche, grilled fish, light tapas, salads, or simply on its own. A perfect warm-weather and patio wine.

Verdict
A fun, casual Albariño that punches above its weight. Not overly complex, but extremely well-executed—refreshing, reliable, and hard to put down.

🍷 Did You Know?
“Ruta 49” refers to the historic coastal route in Galicia, a nod to the Atlantic influence that defines Albariño. The vintage Volkswagen Beetles on the label evoke a nostalgic road-trip vibe, simple pleasures, seaside drives, and easy drinking moments.

Personal Pick
A dangerously good everyday white, approachable, refreshing, and consistently overdelivering for the price. — 3 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Owner Doug Margerum and winemaker Doug "Scotty" Scott, craft world-class wine working with the top vineyards in Santa Barbara County. Blend of 49% Grenache, 31% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Counoise, 5% Cinsault. Deep Ruby with dark fruit and floral aromas with complex spice. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and raspberry with lively acidity. The finish brings notes of cacao, licorice, espresso and earthy minerality on a long ending. Nice value. — 2 years ago

David Walser

9.4

51% CF, 49%ME. Enjoyed the wine & blend. For me, these wines are a bit rough when young but smooth out nicely with age. — 4 years ago

Dennis Hogenkamp

9.4

14.3% ABV Bordeaux blend: 49% Merlot, 26% Cab,
20% Cab Franc, 8% P Verdot, 7% Malbec

Beautiful blend! — 5 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

Prospect 772 ‘The Brat’ Sierra Foothills 2011: Rich texture. Round tannins. Bold flavors of dark fruit with a smooth spice finish. A robust Californian Rhône red blend consisting of 75% Grenache/25% Syrah that opened up nicely after 30 mins! Cheers🍷 — 5 years ago

Kirk F

9.1

Very tasty - improved over 24 hours. — 6 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.8

2011 Vintage. 15.3% Alcohol. 51% Grenache, 49% Syrah. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.0

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark purple in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, plums, cherries, light oak and chocolate notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry and fruit forward on the palate with black currants, black plums, light oak, cherries, spices, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a tasty Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Pauillac. Easy drinking and nicely balanced. Spicy and entertaining.

Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Soft and elegant.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.

A good food wine.

A blend of 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in used French oak barrels for 12 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$32. — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby red color with aromas of dark fruits, graphite and earthy herbs. On the palate flavors of blackberry, currants, black cherry, tobacco and leafy herbs. Fine polished tannins, long finish ending with fruit, tobacco, spice and earthy mineral notes. Just starting to drink now! — 7 months ago

M F

9.0

2021 Salmon Run Chardonnay-Riesling
51% Chardonnay 49% Riesling
Very nice. Birthday gift from P. To E. — 2 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

The wine served tonight is the 2016 Meerlust Rubicon Cabernet Sauvignon Blend. This is from the Meerlust Estate Stellenbosch, South Africa. The blend is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.

On the nose there is cherry, strawberry, plum, green bell pepper, herbal notes, vanilla, licorice, minerals and dark rich soil.

On the palate I am getting black cherry, blackberry, strawberry, black currant, licorice, green bell pepper, vanilla, some oak, minerality and soil.

The wine is full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel medium + acidity and medium + grippy mouthcoating tannins that leaves you with a ling black fruit mineral finish. Eventhough we are still in the in the midst of fall, there is a feel of winter crisp and clean on ones face. This weekend please stay safe and healthy and let us enjoy family and friends for they are what keep us strong. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

Friday night and it feels as though it will be a Bordeaux weekend. Tonight I have opened from one of my favorite Châteaux the 2017 Château Montrose La Dame de Montrose. A blend of 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. A classic Bordeaux blend and for a second label this would be a 1st growth at any other Château.

On the nose there is black cherry, blackberry, plum sauce, black currant, chocolate, violet and minerals.

On the palate there is cherry, blackberry, raspberry, red & black currant, creme de cassis, violet, a minerality and earthiness.

This wine is medium + to full bodied with a lovely silky, velvety mouthfeel and medium + acidity and medium+ smooth polished tannins that leads into a long fresh fruit mineral finish. What a beautiful wine at a reasonable price. I hope everyone is doing well and your weekend will be a joyful one. Please stay healthy and safe and have an enjoyable weekend. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 6 years ago

Jay Ciccarelli

9.3

Dusty floral nose, dried tea, Port. Amazing. Still clear and bright eyed, long finish with slightly dry tanins but wow. Still impressive 49 years later. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Referred to as the “Baby Grange,” blend of 51/49 Cab Sauv & Shiraz, aged for 12 months in 36% new American oak, partly in previous-vintage Grange casks. Dark Ruby with aromas of fresh black fruits, complex with sweet spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao, oak and toasty spices. Well balanced with acidity, full firm tannins, long ending with smoky spice, fruit well integrated with oak, drink over next 10 years+, will only get better. Nice! — 6 months ago

Jamie Lauder

9.4

2013 vintage.
Grown on terraced mountain slopes between 350 and 500 meters.
The soil is Llicorella. Reddish black slate with mica quartz.
49 % Garnacha, 25 % Carinena, 16 % Syrah and 10 % Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dark cherries, blackberries, beautiful black violets, graphite earthiness, black olives and fennel.
Nicely rounded tannins with a layered and long finish.
Mi Corazon — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 4% Shiraz, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits and cigar box spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and plum with notes of cacao and tobacco. Lively acidity, fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice and mineral tones. Very nice, will continue to age. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The 2017 Estate Red is an unusual blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec and 11% Petit Verdot. Racy and opulent to the core, the 2017 packs a serious punch. Jammy red fruit, chocolate, iron, smoke, tobacco and incense add layers of savory, earthy complexity. The 2017 is maybe just a bit rustic, but it has plenty of depth, too. Give it an hour or two in the decanter. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, July 2021)
— 5 years ago

Joe Gillies

9.2

Excellent Bordeaux style blend from New Zealand. 49% can franc, 39% cab sav, 9% merlot, and 3% malbec. Red currant, raspberry, eucalyptus, and tobacco on the palate. Highly recommend! — 6 years ago

Richie Mello

9.3

Been holding this for 3 years or so. Super dig what these guys are doing. Let it decant for an hour and it’s as fresh as all hell. BlackBerry, roasted birds-eye peppers, and a party in your mouth. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

10

Tasted blind. From a bottle that I’m told had a top shoulder fill. Reddish tawny color, translucent but with intensity. Port-like nose with notes of black cherries, plum, tan spices, molasses/brown sugar and some cranberry. Earthy and ethereal in the mouth. Intensively rich. Finish lasts forever. Guessed 47 Cheval Blanc. I’ve been fortunate to have this wine a few times now. It’s a freak of nature, which is very evident when sitting next to its 49 sibling. A top all time bottle for sure. — 8 years ago