TNs: A few mature Spanish Rioja

[Ramon_NYC]

TNs: Dinner with Spanish Reds at The Goose Station, 01/06/2010
The reds were provided by Jun B.

1978 Bodegas Riojanas Vina Albina Gran Reserva
The cork on this bottle was hardly saturated at all. The wine was deep plum red with just the slightest of transparency near the rim. Mature nose of leather, old wood, animal blood, and mushroom. With time in the glass, the nose morphed to include flowers and ripe fruit. On the palate, very lean fruit, somewhat unripe but fresh cherries, slight green notes. A full-bodied wine. I wasn’t impressed with the balance. B

1987 La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva
Lighter color and with tinge of orange. Complex and expressive nose with phosphorous, wet earth, wood, tea, slight band-aid, and meat. Greeted with lively acidity, tannin, if this was served blind to me I would have thought it to be a wine no older than 10 years old. A voluptuous mouth-feel, some orange notes. Drinkable now, but need food to go with it. Imo, will get better with more cellar years. B+

TN: 1989 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco
BYOB’d with dinner at Wild Edibles, our little neighborhood gem that is a seafood store and a restaurant, this wine showed notes of wood and slight sulfur on the nose. Some wax and resin, with subdued acidity on the attack, very dry but with that deft touch of fruit. I love the balance and that slight lemony finish. This is one wine that’s always tough for me to describe, but always ending up as very satisfying. Confection spice notes developed with time in the glass. A-