WTN: 5 Iberian Wines

Friday my villlage tasting group met, theme was Iberian wines. Served blind:

1995 Muga 'Prado Enea' Rioja Gran Riserva
No guesses a it was my wine. Medium bodied, resolved tannins, no hurry but I don't think this is destined for the ages. Red fruit accented witth a a lottle vanilla and cigarbox, good acidity, nice balance. B+/A-

Next wine showed well also, red fruit with a little spice and hint of oak. Guessed Rioja, was right, the 1997 Finca Valpiedra Rioja Reserva. B/B+

Next wine is obviously younger, ripe kirsch and black plum fruit, some oak and tannins need to integrate, I guess Priorat, I'm in wrong country, its the 2004 Meandro Quinta do Vale Meao (Douro). B

Next wine reminds me of the Douro (well, really more of Languedoc or Chateauneuf), kirsch and blackberries under a wall of oak. Many liked a lit, definitely not my style. I didn't actually guess, which is a good thing, as it was from a DO I had never heard of, Montsant. 2003 Solpost. A B-/C+ from me, but quality is good, and quercophilic fruitbomb lovers should seek this out.

Last wine was more subdued, maybe a little tired. Medium-bodied, lighter red fruit, some cedar meets vanilla oak notes. Mature Rioja is consensus around table, we're right, it's the 1995 Marques de Murrieta "Ygay" Rioja Reserva. B/B+

Fun night with the guys, I like tastings where I can walk home.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency

My experience with the '95 Muga was similar to yours...ok...but.. well...nothing special...and maybe it is a little tired....I might be wrong, but I think this is a relatively recent release, too....so.... maybe not a good year or something....I missed the bounce one gets from a nice Rioja...

I might be wrong, but I think this is a relatively recent release, too

I bought the few that I have in Sept04. I havent tried it since then and I thought it had pretty good stuffing upon release.

...from a DO I had never heard of, Montsant.

Contiguous with Priorat -- it is one of the newer DOs.

Late last year, we did an Open Mike Montsant and there were some good wines tasted. I will definately be looking out for new vintages from this area!

Jim, actually I quite liked it, and didn't find it tired. I just meant I didn't think it was neccessarily a 30 yr wine like the 1981.

I realized yesterday I had previously tried a Montsant - I was in Astor Wines and the display next to a wine I was getting had "Exciting DO- Montsant!" on shelftalker- and it was a wine I've tried a couple of times the Capcanes Mas Doix.