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WTN: Lopez Crasto Valdemar Pesquera Vega Chivite Taylor

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Bill Spohn

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WTN: Lopez Crasto Valdemar Pesquera Vega Chivite Taylor

by Bill Spohn » Sat Jul 21, 2018 2:54 pm

Interesting blind tasting of Iberian wines.

2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia – a real treat for me to get a pair of old traditional style white Riojas to start. This one showed medium amber colour with a smoky wood nose with elements of butterscotch and wax candle, and in the mouth a well balanced with good length.

2000 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia
– darker than the first wine and with more oxidation in the nose plus dill oak, this Crianza had only slight oxidation on palate, with nutty buttery elements and clean acidity. I slightly preferred this wine to the previous one.

1999 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional Douro – Crasto had been doing these dry wines made from Port varietals only since 1995 and I had purchased some of this varietal, Tinta Cao and Tinta Roriz, but this was the first bottle of the Touriga Nacional I had opened and it turned out to be the best of the three. Medium dark, with a big nose of Rhonish black pepper and spice, and in the mouth some fine tannins, some nice berry fruit and good balance.

2001 Bodegas Valdemar Rioja Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva – medium colour with lightening edges, a nose of ripe fruit with leather and earth notes and smooth balanced and still showing lots of tannin on palate. Medium long finish. Good showing.

2005 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia – vanilla oak nose (no evident dill) and some Rhonish funk, with some underlying dark cherry notes. In the mouth it showed good fruit levels and had a well balanced and medium long finish. Good.

2005 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional Douro – big coincidence that the same wine I had brough also showed up in a later version. The person that had brought this opted to try it out against mine, but it was out of place so was deferred until later. The nose didn’t seem like French oak, although it was, and it also showed heavy vanilla and sweet Rhone style cocoa. While the nose was quite interesting, I thought the wine in the mouth lacked a bit and maybe it needs more time to open out.

1996 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera – I was interested to see this as I still have a half case in my cellar. Lighter red than the previous wine, with light edges, and in the nose I found a pleasant earthy spicy fruit thing happening with some meaty notes. Medium body with some very nice resolved favours of secondary fruit, tannins well resolved. Time to drink up! Good.

2000 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5° - dark wine with extra dilly oak, smooth on palate, medium length, decent but a tad disappointing given what it could/should be. Just a slight bit short on fruit, flavour interest and length, but nonetheless for all that a decent wine, just not better than that.

1994 Bodegas Julián Chivite Navarra Gran Reserva Colleción 125
– slightly sour American oak nose with some nice spice and mocha notes, and in the mouth a wine that was almost claret –like, with a decently long finish. Very nice indeed, and a bit of a surprise.

2008 Bodega Numanthia Toro Numanthia – obviously young with dark purple colour and lighter clear edges, and an nose that featured ripe fruit and a bit of spice. In the mouth it had a big furry presence and while young and tasty it really needs more time. To be cellared.

1992 Taylors Port – as a Port owner, I always applaud when someone opens a bottle that is younger than I would ever consider opening! A great way to gauge how your cellar will be progressing without diminishing it! Still very dark purple, with pinkish rather than clear edges, and one of the best noses in recent memory, just exquisite with a mélange of dark cherry and cassis, with raspberry and chocolate notes. In the mouth it still showed ample but not aggressive tannin and is now showing some complexity and layering of flavours. This is going to be a killer wine in a few years! It would be interesting to compare this wine (which I do not cellar) with the excellent 1994 (which I do have).
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Bob Parsons Alberta

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Re: WTN: Lopez Crasto Valdemar Pesquera Vega Chivite Taylor

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Sat Jul 21, 2018 4:06 pm

That is a much higher quality of wines that reside in my cellar!!
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David M. Bueker

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Re: WTN: Lopez Crasto Valdemar Pesquera Vega Chivite Taylor

by David M. Bueker » Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:34 pm

Interesting wines Bill.

I’ve tasted (and own) the 2005 Tondonia, and it needs serious cellar time.

Wish I had that ‘92 Taylor. My oldest Taylor Fladgate is the 2000 (except for some 1995 Vargellas). All my older bottles are other houses. Looking forward to fall, and opening some 1970s or 1980s Ports.
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