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WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

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WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

by Saina » Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:28 pm

Tonight I met for a brief dinner with a good friend of mine. It was a dinner of uncommon extravagance. We had a chunk of beef covered in herbs (tarragon largely - I like that with Riojas for some reason) for dinner.

Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva Selección Especial 1982 12,5% c.56€

The core is a healthy, deep red; the rim has some orange - nice colour for the age. The nose is quite lovely with lots of ripe, bright and red toned fruit. Like the (much too few) other mature Riojas I've had, there is a magical citrussy scent to it that reminds me of kumquat. It has a slight touch of very fresh fish - something I've noticed with a few other older Riojas and which is a delightful scent IMO! The palate has resolved structure, still vibrant fruit, enough acidity to keep it together and is savoury despite the sweet fruit. Very moreish. What a lovely wine and the food was really quite an ideal pairing for it.

With a few chunks of cheese (Kuttu-Ville, Stilton, Beira Baixa) we had a small sip of a Sherry I've been dying to try for ages.

Osborne Rare Sherry Palo Cortado Solera PAP 22% 139,90€

What does the P delta P mean on the lable?

A horrible price, but I managed to get a group of 9 people to share the wine and costs, so it was managable though pours were small. Brown with a slight greenness to it. The nose was delightfully rancioed, with a raisiny touch that promises a bit of sweetness on the palate (is there a touch of PX in this?), nutty and lifted and chalky and very complex. The palate is indeed sweetish, with lovely freshness and lift. It is incredibly intense yet elegant at the same time. The aftertaste lives forever. A stunning wine. Though Palo Cortado seems most to my taste when dry, this (and Gonzales-Byass's Apostoles to some degree also) proves that even a sweet one can be extraordinary. This is one of the rare times that I probably would buy a bottle this expensive if I had the money.

-O-
I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

by Kyrstyn Kralovec » Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:54 pm

Very nice notes, Otto. I'll be interested to try something w/ tarragon in it next time I have a rioja, as I love the herb. Interesting also the note about fresh fish...I'm not sure that I've experienced that myself, although I've noticed something that I describe as "seashore" once in a syrah.
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:17 pm

Good note on the Monte, Otto. Never thought of the "fish" aspect before. Have you checked out the Open Mike: Tempranillo this week? Some good notes there.
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

by JoePerry » Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:48 pm

Thanks for the note, Otto. I had some killer Rioja last night myself. The 1985 Montecillo was the least of which (which says more about the quality of the other wines then the lack in the Montecillo).

I find tarragon, actually, to show up in Spanish wines too... though more often in RdD.

I think the P triangle P refers to certain casks from the solera (like AOS) though I could be wrong. I have yet to try this Sherry, but it has been on my radar for a while. As always, it is too bad you are across the pond!

Thanks for the notes!
Joe
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

by Jenise » Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:49 am

Your 82 sounds great. We had our last bottle of the same wine, 88 vintage, just last week, and it's already tired. Still worth drinking, but it probably peaked about five years ago. Nice to read about what might have been.
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cort

by Saina » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:59 pm

K., I think seashore is as good a descriptor.

Bob, yes I've seen the OM, and once I get some pay next week I'll be opening something up for it.

Joe, any experience with Osborne's rare PX? Are you ever on this side of the puddle?

Jenise, curious that the '88 is tired: the '82 was vibrant. But I have to admit I tend to prefer my wines more dead than alive...

-O-
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cort

by Jenise » Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:07 pm

Otto, I very much enjoy older wines. But your wine had all kinds of complexity that mine didn't--I am fairly certain you would not prefer it to yours.
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cort

by JoePerry » Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:25 pm

Otto Nieminen wrote:Joe, any experience with Osborne's rare PX? Are you ever on this side of the puddle?


Otto, I own one bottle but have yet to taste it. It had better be good! :shock:
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Re: WTN: Two great Spaniards: Montecillo & Osborne Palo Cortado

by David Lole » Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:07 pm

Otto,

One of the great things about some of the best wines I've tried over the years is their ability to deliver incredible intensity of flavour yet remain, almost impossibly, elegant and light on their feet. What you noted in the Osborne, I believe I experienced in several of the magnificent wines I opened over my recent vacation. The 1996 Cristal, 1993 Hudelot-Noellat R-S-V and the 1978 Leoville-Las-Cases (amongst many others) all bore this trait.

Thanks for your notes.
Cheers,

David

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