Sitewide Sale - Reds

Winemaker Description

Hinia takes its name from the fossilized shells found in the soil from a time when the whole region was under the sea. This is a typical, classic, Rioja blend — fresh and smooth with well-balanced acidity and tannins. It has an intense cherry red colour with notes of ripe black fruit, an elegant range of balsamic notes with tobacco leaves, caramel, vanilla and chocolate. Aged for 36 months in American oak, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation took place naturally. A homage to the refined classic wines from Haro.

Expert Reviews

96 Points Decanter | Classic and delicious showing tertiary notes of cigar box, incense, old leather, cigar box and tomato leaf. The palate is silky with well-handled oak, a vibrant rail of fresh acidity and mellow, integrated tannins. Complex wine and very representative of classic Rioja.  Gold, Olivia Mason, Decanter World Wine Awards. (2012). 

Tim Atkin 92 Points |  Hinia is a new Reserva brand from the under-rated Martínez Lacuesta operation that’s still impressively fresh and lively for a 2012 red. Partnering Tempranillo with 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, it’s a nice cross over between a modern and traditional style, with balsamic American oak sweetness, bright acidity and good focus and minerality. 2023-29. Tim Atkin’s Rioja Report 2023. (2012). 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

Monica Larner writes:  You can't beat this value. The G.D. Vajra 2020 Barolo Albe is buttoned up with fresh primary fruit, and the wine does not have that hint of over-ripeness that is found across this vintage. The fruit is dark and savory, and there is a big mineral component to match, but the bouquet is nicely redolent of dark currant, plum, granite and a raspy dry note that brings crushed shale to mind. The tannins are quite impactful, and they give this wine extra runway for moderate bottle aging.  Drinking 2025 to 2038.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 94

Audrey Frick writes:  A ripe ruby hue, the 2020 Barolo Albe offers a beautiful bouquet of raspberries, fresh flowers, and delicate spice. Medium-bodied, it has a lot of elegance, with ripe and supple tannins and a bit of iron-rich earth. Drink 2024-2037.  - Jeb Dunnuck 93 

James Suckling writes:   This is a bright and lively Barolo showing sliced oranges, raspberries, crushed stones and rose petals on the nose. Medium-bodied, with sharp acidity and tight tannins. Lots of energy. Try from 2027.  - James Suckling 93 

Bruce Sanderson writes:  This effusive red displays cherry, raspberry, rose, iron, juniper and hay flavors, underscored by vibrant acidity. Harmonious and supple in texture, with a long aftertaste of red fruit, mineral and floral elements. Best from 2028 through 2049.  - Wine Spectator 94

Antonio Galloni writes:  The 2020 Barolo Albe is light-bodied, elegant and gracious. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, spice, new leather and dried herbs are all nicely lifted. Bright acids and nervy tannins give the wine its shape and overall character. The Albe is meant to be an entry-level offering, but I find it often blossoms with a year or two in bottle. The Albe is not terribly complex in 2020, but it is a delight.  Drinking 2024 to 2032.  - Vinous 90

Jancis Robinson writes:  Described as ‘the first post-modernist Barolo’. Great to drink young yet ageworthy, too. Blend of three high vineyards, Fossati, Le Volte and Coste di Vergne in the commune of Barolo, each vinified separately. Maceration is 20–30 days. No more than 18 months in botte for the last 15 years or so. They want to keep freshness and decide on the exact blend for Albe only just before bottling.

Intense, mineral and racy. Edgy and quite modern. But a bit dry on the end.  Drinking 2024 to 2030.  - Jancis Robinson 16

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description

A heady seductive nose, rich ripe full fruits on the nose with a gentle and inviting pot pourri nose. Lovely freshness here and seering, mouthwatering cherry juice flavours – acidity is marked but in a really well balanced harmonious way. Just great energy and brightness. No massie complexity but what is delivered is excellent quality fruit that has been well handled. One for earlier drinking to enjoy the pretty, balanced and bright wine. Bordeaux at its most approachable. Drinking Window 2023 – 2033.

Expert Reviews

Antonio Galloni writes:  The 2021 Chianti Classico is terrific. Bright and vibrant, with tons of Sangiovese character, the 2021 is everything Chianti Classico should be. Bright red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and tobacco are all nicely amplified in this juicy, wonderfully inviting Chianti Classico. The 2021 is one of the best edition of this wine I have tasted recently.  Drinking 2023 - 2031.  - Vinous 91

Audrey Frick writes:  A youthful ruby/magenta, the 2021 Chianti Classico is pure, ripe, and inviting with aromas of cherry liqueur, candied roses, and fresh sweet Mediterranean herbs. This wine has wonderful transparency and clarity, with refreshing acidity, snappy lift, and ripe, fine tannins, as well as a stony underpinning and a lovely fresh lift of tomato leaf on the finish. A refreshing and lovely wine, it has much to offer if drinking over the next 6-8 years.  Jeb Dunnuck 91

James Suckling writes:  Notes of cooked strawberries, red licorice, blood orange and cedar. Medium body. Bright and racy with crunchy acidity and a flavorful finish.  - James Suckling 92

Winemaker Description

Ménage à Trois Red Blend brings together three strange bedfellows: Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. To add complexity and retain character, each variety was fermented separately, then blended together prior to bottling. On top you’ve got Zinfandel, a saucy tease that brings blackberry and raspberry jam to the relationship. Merlot, with its generous mouth feel and red fruits, fits perfectly in the middle. The rich flavors and firm tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon make it the ideal candidate for the bottom layer of the trio.

Forward, silky and soft, this delicious dalliance makes the perfect accompaniment for grilled meats and chicken.

Winemaker Description

Mevushal. Elegant and full bodied with rich notes of black stone fruit, boysenberry, nutmeg and a kiss of oak bring distinction to Baron Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon.

Enjoy this wine at room temperature with grilled steak, lamb chops or pasta with red sauce.

This wine is Kosher for Passover

Winemaker Description

This vintage (2019), Petite Sirah leads this haunting red blend with intense notes of dark blackberry and rich boysenberry. Zinfandel adds fiery pepper notes and brings a balanced structure to the final wine.

In the finish, tantalizing layers of baking spices swirl amongst velvety tannins that have softened as they’ve aged 22 months in American oak. A sip of Phantom unfurls a seductive mystery yet to be solved.

Winemaker Description

Château Blaignan’s vineyard is planted of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. The wine matures for 18 months in vats and in oak barrels. The wine is of an intense colour. The nose is fruity with pronounced notes of blackcurrant, black cherries and a hint of spice. Full bodied, Château Blaignan shows structure and velvet tannins on the palate, that make it a wine to drink young or to keep a few years in cellar (to be kept between 3 to 12 years). 

Expert Ratings

James Suckling 90 Points | Ripe cherries, stewed strawberries and berry jam on the nose with some chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with soft, sleek tannins. Fruity. Drink after 2022. (2018).

Winemaker Description

Clean and bright and cherry red wine with a violet rim. The nose is very expressive, highlighting the primary aromas of Tempranillo and the presence of red fruits. In the mouth it’s a balanced wine, with a smooth passage and a pleasant sensation at the end of the mouth. 

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2020

Mike DeSimone of the Wine Enthusiast writes 93 Points | Dark garnet in the glass, this wine offers aromas of cherry cola, vanilla and Mediterranean herbs. The first flavors to hit the palate are pomegranate and Valencia orange, joined by notes of chocolate-covered caramel, fennel pollen and lavender. The interplay of plush tannins and striking acidity remains on the post-palate long after the last sip. — Mike DeSimone 

93 Points Robert Parker | This deep ruby-colored wine has a nose of raspberry jam, cocoa butter, and herbs de Provence. It is bright at first sip, with raspberry, red currant, toffee, milk chocolate, and aniseed flavors. Vivid acidity and luxurious tannins stroll hand in hand to a satisfying finish.

91 Points James Suckling | Fine, plush oak spices with dark chocolate, licorice and bay leaves with fresh blackberries, blueberries and mineral. Structured and tannic on the palate with a full body and a spicy medium-long finish.

Critic Notes

Jane Anson writes:  Intense, smoky, plenty of black fruit, who doesn't love this 2nd wine of Château Montrose? It's a vintage that is often overlooked, particularly after the run of great years Bordeaux has had recently, but it's at a great moment to open right now, and delivers a ton of St Estèphe and Left Bank typicity, with crayon and graphite. Harvest September 22 to October 16.  - Jane Anson 94

Antonio Galloni writes:  A gorgeous second wine, the 2014 La Dame de Montrose is soft, open-knit and very pretty. Bright floral notes add lift and a measure of elegance to the dark-fleshed fruit. Medium in body, with good depth and fine overall balance, the 2014 is just about as good as it gets for a second wine. I won't be surprised if it is still delicious at age 20, although I think its best drinking will take place earlier than that.  Drinking 2018 - 2029  - Vinous 92+

Jeb Dunnuck writes:  As to the 2014s, these are beautiful wines and certainly a match for the 2015s. The 2014 La Dame de Montrose offers a deep purple color and classic Cabernet Sauvignon notes as well as a touch of violets, spring flowers and leafy herbs. This medium-bodied, elegant, spicy, complex 2014 has loads of charm yet should keep nicely for 15+ years.  Drinking 2018 - 2038  - Jeb Dunnuck 90

Steven Spurrier writes:  An even Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend: lots of spice, deep cassis fruit and incredible freshness. Will show soon and last well.  - Decanter 90

James Molesworth writes:  Offers a brisk, racy feel, with red currant, damson plum and Campari notes coursing through, carried by a bright iron spine through the savory-flecked finish. Very pure and firmly grounded in terroir. Best from 2018 through 2026. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.  - Wine Spectator 90

Neal Martin writes:  The 2014 La Dame de Montrose lagged a long way behind the superlative Grand Vin at primeur, but has since made up some ground. Now in bottle, it has a nicely poised bouquet with red cherries, bilberry and crushed violets. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, tightly wound and linear, a conservative La Dame de Montrose that I suspect will age better than I originally thought.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 

Test of Endurance: Bordeaux 2014 Ten Years On (Mar 2024)

Neal Martin writes:  The 2014 La Dame de Montrose is more precocious than Lafon-Rochet on the nose, with hints of dried cherries and black olive compote infusing the black fruit, touches of humidor and red brick. The palate is medium-bodied with dusky black fruit, fine tannins and a little austerity towards the finish, though at least it does exude Saint-Estèphe DNA. Give it a year in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.  - Vinous

Expert Ratings 

94 Points James Suckling | Subtle aromas of sliced strawberries and cherries with some orange peel follow through to a medium body with succulent tannins and a bright and tangy finish. Lovely energy in this one. So good now. From organically grown grapes.

93 Points Wine Spectator | Rich and velvety, laced with black cherry, blackberry, violet and mineral flavors. This is driven by vibrant acidity and backed by well-mannered tannins. Shows excellent balance and length.

92 Points Decanter | This flagship Chianti Classico from the renowned Fontodi estate has grown over the years to its current annual production of 170,000 bottles, however it has not lost its identity, deeply rooted in a sun-drenched stretch of Panzano’s Conca d’Oro. The 2020 version has all the ripe dark fruit and assertive tannins that come so neatly into balance. Grilled meat, baked earth and thyme flirt with black plum. The youthful juiciness has the energy to carry this over the next eight or so years. It finishes with its signature bitter liquorice twist.

91 Points Robert Parker | A certified organic wine, the Fontodi 2020 Chianti Classico shows dark fruit and blackberry with earthy sensations of crushed stone that reflect the schistous soils found in this area of the appellation. Unlike the Filetta di Lamole (with fruit from Lamole) that is very floral in personality, this expression from Panzano has more structure, girth and general fruit weight

Expert Reviews 

Amy Wislocki of Decanter writes | South Africa's first female black winemaker (her first vintage was 2014), Ntsiki Biyela named her Aslina label after her grandmother. Biyela grew up in KwaZulu-Natal and spent a year as a domestic worker before being offered a scholarship to study winemaking in 1999. She has worked harvests in Bordeaux and Tuscany, and her winemaking philosophy draws on this experience. This accomplished Cabernet contains 15% Petit Verdot, and underwent fermentation in stainless steel before ageing in used oak barrels for 14 months. It's a charming, harmonious wine, with fresh, fragrant black fruits, well-integrated oak and a hint of menthol. Super enjoyable now but will also develop over the next five or so years.  —  Amy Wislocki

Jancis Robinson 16.5 Points | Made by South Africa’s first female Black winemaker, Ntsiki Biyela, who started her Aslina label, named after her inspirational grandmother, with the 2014 vintage. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, harvested March 2020. Fermentation in stainless-steel tank and aged 14 months in used oak barrels. RS 3.5 g/l, TA 3.81 g/l, pH 3.6.

Julia Harding MW | Deep crimson. Pure, intense, minty, very slightly leafy, and blackcurrant. Benchmark South African Cabernet. Polished but true Cabernet tannins, deep but not heavy. Highly drinkable and finishes clean and fresh.

Expert Review

Bart Hopkins 67Wine.com | A terrific value in ready-to-drink, flavorful fruit forward Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. On the nose, terrific aromas of earthy dark fruits and juicy cherry with underlying spiced blackberry and plum notes. In the mouth the flavors take on a savory character with subtle oak and spice that carries into the finish. Well balanced and supple textured with smooth velvety tannins.

Winemaker Description

Showcases very fresh, clean, savory style of Oregon Pinot. Scents of ripe cherry, plum, strawberry, raspberry and mushroom. On the palate the wine has a classic profile of earth, cherry, and plum with a hint of smoke and sundried tomato.

Winemaker Description

Bright and aromatic with notes of pomegranate, orange zest, bright cherries, and dried herbs. This wine perfectly emphasizes the essence of the Willamette Valley.

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description

Classic Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. It is a deeply colored, fruit forward Pinot with a nose of spiced cranberry, strawberry and hibiscus. The abundance of fruit continues on the palate showing plum, dark cherry, and cranberry with nuances of anise, tea and clove. It is a powerful Pinot at a great price point.

Easily matched with barbecued ribs, oak grilled chops, a juicy burger or spicy Asian cuisine. Enjoy with salmon, spicy Indian dishes, or even oak grilled burgers.

Winemaker Description 

The 2018  Montecillo Crianza is the perfect wine to drink as your weekly house wine.  Inviting nose of red fruited character. Medium-bodied with notes of baking spice and red berry jam. Finish is consistent with well-integrated tannins.  Food pairings: BBQ Pork Ribs.

- Oscar Garcia Moncada , 67 Wine Buyer

Our Professional Review

Bart of 67Wine.com writes | Pale ruby red in color with an intriguing bouquet of wild blackberries, Asian spice, wild flowers and crushed rocks. In the mouth, the palate is soft and round with layered complexity of dark fruits and detailed minerality. This is a great example of why the wines of Etna are all the rage! A delicious rendition!
Bart Hopkins

Winemaker Description

Fessina Erse Etna Rosso is a light ruby color. Wild berries, coriander, cloves, pimento, pink pepper. Tasting of austere and soft tannins. Round and spicy, Erse tells an old story about Etna winemaking, where for hundred years the red grapes have been mixed with the white ones, a marriage between indigenous varieties. A picture of our melting pot vineyard where tastes and roots are melted together, giving a feminine complexity.

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2021 

Kerin O'Keefe of the WIne Enthusiast writes 93 Points | What a fantastic rosato. It opens with aromas of Mediterranean scrub, red berry, stone fruit and sea breeze while the elegant, mineral-driven, palate features juicy red cherry, wild strawberry, aromatic herb and spice set against bright acidity. It closes on a saline note.  

Winemaker Description 

Medium-to-full bodied combining dark berry fruit and cassis flavors with hints of chocolate and mint.

Jeb Dunnuck writes:  The appellation 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is another winner. Ripe red and black fruits, dried flowers, and spice all define the bouquet, and it’s up-front, soft, balanced, and just delicious. Drink bottles over the coming decade.  Drinking 2023 to 2033.  - Jeb Dunnuck 91

Joe Czerwiński writes:  The winery's largest bottling, approximately 38,000 cases, is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. Primarily from the Hardester Ranch in Pope Valley, with other major contributions from St. Helena, Soda Canyon and Glass Mountain, it's a medium to full-bodied effort, with bold flavors of cherries, cassis and cedar. It's easy, but not soft, nicely firm, with a long, silky-textured finish.  Drinking 2022 to 2030.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 90

James Molesworth writes:  Leads with a light cedar edge, followed quickly by relatively open-knit red currant and damson plum fruit flavors. Shows a light savory edge on the finish. Drink now through 2030.  - Wine Spectator 90

Winemaker Description

Features a tempting nose with hints of violet, ripe cherry and warm baking spices. The palate is supple in texture with luxurious layers of brambly red fruits, cocoa, and dusty tannins. This classic Napa Valley Merlot finishes long and vibrant with lingering notes of graphite. 

Expert Reviews

Dorothy & Bernie of 67Wine.com | We visited the Mendel winery on one of our first visits to Mendoza about 18 years ago.  The winery was introduced to us by our friend Paulo Costa, who was then President of Novartis Pharmaceuticals.  Mendel Winery was started by a well known Buenos Aires pharmaceutical family with Roberto de la Mota, known as one of Argentina’s greatest wine makers. The Mendels began the winery with the intent of making great wines that were more refined than what was found in Mendoza.  We fell in love with their Cabernet which was powerful, yet not overwhelming.  We still find it one of the best, most accessible and harmonious Cabernets made in Mendoza.   Dorothy & Bernie “Follow the Drinker”

James Suckling 94 Points | Notes of ripe blackcurrants, blackberries, vanilla, walnuts and dark chocolate. Medium-to full-bodied with robust, polished tannins and bright acidity. Dense and creamy texture, together with bright, delicious fruit, ending with a spicy edge and notes of crushed stones. Try now, but better after 2023. 

Winemaker Description

Vibrant red leading slightly towards amber. Light fresh texture with notes of vanilla and dried berry aromas. Rich, very dry, smooth, developed. Firm tannins and good balance. Blend: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, 10% Graciano and Manzuelo.

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2011 

Winemaker Description

This Rutherford-dominated blend of Cabernet Sauvignon complemented by Bordeaux grape varieties offers aromas of blackberry cobbler, plum, and black currants, followed by warm hints of vanilla and caramelized black fruit. A concentrated, silky wine emphasizing varietal expression, richness and balance from start to finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | This velvety, opulent wine is rich in baked cherry and blackberry aromas, with dark chocolate and crème de cassis flavors. Layers of fruit and oak spices fill the palate, shaped gently by fine-grained tannins. Best from 2026–2034. (2021). 

James Suckling 92 Points | Attractive aromas of ripe blackcurrants, dried cherries, walnuts, spiced cedar and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, ripe and dark-fruited with velvety tannin structure and a spicy finish. Better after 2025. (2021). 

Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points | A smoking value, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has loads of up-front cassis and blackberry fruit to go with a layered, medium to full-bodied, juicy style that's already hard to resist. With some classic chocolate, spice, and leafy herb notes, ripe tannins, and a good finish, it's well worth seeking out. It will evolve for a solid 7-8 years or more. (2021). 

Robert Parker 90 Points | While Sequoia Grove's regular Cabernet Sauvignon may rarely win awards, it's been a consistent, reliable performer over the years, and it nearly always represents a good value. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon features hints of maple syrup, then bold black cherries and cassis. It's full-bodied and supple, easygoing but with enough concentration and structure to be more than just a quaffer. You could do a lot worse with a grilled ribeye, whether at home or at your local steakhouse. (2021). 

Winemaker Description

A delicate style of wine with bright fruit flavours, hints of spice and savoury complexity.

Lindeman’s Elegant Pinot Noir Bin 99 2019 is a red wine produced by Lindeman’s, a winery located in Australia. This wine is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes. The wine has a bright ruby color and aromas of red fruits, anise, and some spices. It is described as delicate in style with hints of blackcurrant and cherry fruit, a nice body and palate with that aforementioned hint of spice.

Expert Review

Jeb Dunnuck writes:  Brought up all in tank, the 2022 Château Lajarre has a medium to full-bodied, juicy, downright vibrant profile as well as ample blue fruits, some tobacco and violet nuances, fine-grained tannins, and a touch of minerality on the finish. I don't think it's going to make terribly old bones, but this brings loads of charm and character.  - Jeb Dunnuck 90-92

Yohan Costaing writes: The 2022 Lajarre offers up aromas of violet, lilac, spring flowers and raspberry. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and succulent, it’s juicy and charming with elegant tannins on the finish.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

James Molesworth writes:  A friendly version, with dark cherry and currant notes draped with a lightly toasted tobacco edge. Offers a pleasant earthy echo through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2027.

Winemaker Description

The wines produced at the estate are fruity with aromas of red fruits, good tannic structure, elegant and round in the mouth. 

Winemaker Description

Serra is the name the winery's family since long time has assigned to the fresher and more delicate slope of the Serraboella. More evolved soils, richer, less dry, in a more closed and fresh valley, gives origin to rigorous wine, full but never opulent and balanced in their freshness. For some years now, in the Serra they do not have only Neive grapes but also a small portion comes from the Rivoli region of Alba.

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 90 Points | A powerful yet fresh red graced by smoky blackberry, plum, graphite and black pepper flavors. Harmonious and lingers with a combination of juiciness and chalkiness. (2020).

Winemaker Description 

The 2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of red cherry, raspberry, blackberry, iris, vanilla and clove. Ruby in color, this elegant wine has great acidity and lift on the mid-palate. Black currant and warm baking spices linger with a deep and fruity finish. It will provide drinking pleasure through 2047 given proper cellaring.

Jonathan Cristaldi of Decanter Magazine, 95 Points: Aged in 50% new and 50% second-use American Oak from the Duncan family's The Oak cooperage in Higbee, Missouri. Matt Duncan joined me for my tasting, and he says the Petit Verdot in the blend, of which there is 0.4%, is co-fermented with the Cabernet Sauvignon, intended to bring focus to the Cabernet fruit. A compelling, brooding, muscular rendition of Cabernet from Alexander Valley with gorgeous boysenberry notes, black currants, and rose petals laced with vanillin notes and toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied with black currants, ripe blackberry and black cherry notes framed by velvety tannins laced with that irresistible vanillin note. Toasty oak spices lend a hint of sweetness, balanced by grippy acidity. Long and complex, revealing umami, garrigue, and crushed slatestone on the finish. It's a terrific wine from the Alexander Valley.  Drinking 2023 to 2035.

James Suckling, 94 Points: Handsome and classic for a Sonoma County cabernet, this full-bodied, approachable wine offers abundant aromas of black cherries, toasted oak and tobacco backed by gorgeous black cherries and black olive flavors on moderate tannins. It’s 95% cabernet sauvignon. Best through 2034. 

Alder Yarrow  of JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 Points: Smells of sweet black cherry and cola. Flavours of black cherry, cola and hints of mocha have a nice bright juiciness thanks to excellent acidity. Powdery tannins coat the mouth and stiffen slightly with time. The oak is very well integrated here, making its presence felt in the gradually more muscular tannins and a scent of woodiness in the finish.  Drinking 2024 to 2034.

Audrey Frick of Jeb Dunnuck, 91 Points: The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley includes tiny splashes of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot was aged for 24 months in 50% new American oak and the rest in second-use barrels. The 2019 is the current release, as the estate likes to hold back their wines until they are ready to drink. It offers notes of toasted oak, preserved red plum, forest floor, a hint of coconut, and vanilla. Full-bodied, it has a rounded, creamy texture with a coating feel, sweet tannins, and its oak profile lasting through the ripe finish. It is going to show its best over the coming several years.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.  - Jeb Dunnuck 91

Winemaker Description 

Brick red deep cov­ered. Clean, com­plex and with a good in­ten­si­ty on the nose. Red fruit aro­mas well con­joined with those of the ag­ing. Bal­sam, spices (pep­per), to­bac­co and leather. Well struc­tured, tasty, large, soft but with char­ac­ter and a good har­mo­ny in its fla­vors. Com­plex and retronasal clean.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Decanter 95 points | The Escudero family started making wine in 1852 and, four generations on, it is still very much a family business. They own a total of 150ha of vineyards, of which 120ha are located on the southern slopes of the Monte Yerga mountain range, where the grapes for this wine are produced. The vines are grown at between 450m-800m above sea level and are approximately 40 years old. Predominantly made from Tempranillo blended with Mazuelo and Garnacha, this reserva was aged for 14 months in five-year-old American oak barrels followed by a further 28 months in bottle. 

Sarah Jane Evans | Supple, juicy, well-balanced, fully rounded. A lovely vintage and a great wine. 

Simon Field | A broad and generous mouthfeel, the tannic grip still persuasive, but acidity is wrapped around the black fruit core with subtle conviction. Pierre Mansour: Liquorice and dark fruit, compact, quite complex, framed by muscular tannins, underlying depth that unfurls in the glass, and really good length. Drinking Window 2020 - 2023