The Whites
2020 Cepas Viejas, Guimaro
A smoky, oily nose with notes of burnt grass, flint, Christmas spices and grilles lemon. Very, very good.
The taste is large scaled and spicy with lots of ripe lemons and chrushed rocks. A tad heavy in the finish.
88p (tasted 2022/11)
2019 Roda I Blanco, Bodegas Roda
First vintage of the Blanco from Roda and its a stunner. The nose is deep and intense with notes of oranges, chalk, smoke and a salty touch. Lovely fruit.
The taste is young and tight with spicy lemon fruit, a cleansing acidity and a fine length. Great stucture for aging. Great wine.
95p (tasted 2022/11)
2019 Sketch, Raúl Pérez
A young, stony nose with notes of grey pears, lemon licorice, wet cement and some grassy notes. A fine complexity.
The taste is fresh and racy with notes of dried apricots, grapefruit juice, minerals and dried grass. Very fine.
92p (tasted 2022/11)
2017 Commando G El Tamboril, Sierra de Gredos
A cool, elegant nose with notes of grape, birch leaves, smoke and lots of minerals. A bit laid back.
The taste is pure and seedy with notes of grass, minerals, gravel and grape. A low key intensity. Very, very good. Only 395 bottles made...
88p (tasted 2022/11)
Intermezzo
NV No 1 La Bota de Amontillado "Navazos"
A unicorn of a bottle, the first in the Equipo Navazos series. The nose is bottomless deep with hauntingly beautiful notes of dry caramel, fried nuts, detergent, dried orange peel, sun warm rocks and salt water. Very complex and fine.
The taste is pure, racy and concentrated with an extraordinary structure, balance and intensity. The finish is counted in minutes. The acidity is of the charts. A truly great wine.
98p (tasted 2022/11)
The Reds
2019 Bernabelena Garnacha de Viña Bonita, San Martín de Valdeiglesias
A cool, laid back nose with notes of rowan berries, dry licorice, earth and some spices. Light in style but very flirtatious.
The taste is high and focused with notes of dried raspberries, lingonberries, spices and earth, Very, very good.
90p (tasted 2022/11)
2019 Las Iruelas El Tiemblo, Daniel Gomez Jimenez-Landi
This bottle didn´t seem ok, so judgement referred.
No rating (tasted 2022/11)
2019 Finca Pombiras, Guimaro
A warm, floral nose with notes of black cherries, asphalt, spices and violets. Very, very good.
The taste is concentrated and fine with notes of cherries, tapenade, hot earth and dark flowers. Long and fine.
91p (tasted 2022/11)
2018 El Pecado, Raul Perez
A deep, finely structured nose with notes of leather, ripe cherries, rosemary and mocha. Very fine.
The taste is taut and fine with notes of salmiak, fries herbs, earth and violets. Long, cool and very fine.
92p (tasted 2022/11)
2019 Tabuerniga, Telmo Rodríguez
A deep, somewhat meaty nose with notes of plums, violets and asphalt. Rich and very fine.
The taste is tight and focused with lots of black fruit, broad tannins and a long, warm finish. A fine touch of rosemary in the end. 6+ years.
92p (tasted 2022/11)
2019 Peña Cabalcera, Bodega Marañones
A very deep, lovely nose with notes of forest floor, rubber, violets and a mix of black fruits. Very fine.
The taste is compact yet light on its feet with stunning fruit and notes of asphalt, forest floor and violets en masse. 4+ years. Great wine.
94p (tasted 2022/11)
2001 Vall Llach
A very deep, plum filled nose with additional notes of dark flowers, wet asphalt, meat and some balsamic notes. Very fine.
The taste is multi layered and pure with notes of tapenade, cigarr smoke, asphalt and ripe plums. Very long and intense. Still on the young side of things.
94p (tasted 2022/11)
2018 La Condenada, Artuke
A deep, perfumed nose with gorgeous notes of forest floor, balsamico cooked strawberries, fresh stables and smoke. Just lovely.
The taste is all about backbone, luscious fruit, balance and a finish that doesn´t quit. This is great stuff. 5+ years.
96p (tasted 2022/11)
2019 La Beatas, Telmo Rodríguez
The -19 La Beatas is not at the same level as the -18 -
Barolista: Great Wines From Telmo Rodríguez, but its still a tasty wine. The nose is cool and vegetal, in a Cab Franc kind of way, with additional notes of red and black currants, fir smoke and hint of tobacco.
The taste is young and tight with a stern structure and notes of red and black currants, cigarette smoke and warm grass. Needs a couple of years in the cellar to flesh out.
91p (tasted 2022/11)
A Stunning Sherry Flight
NV Amontillado Bota Unica 1/2, S. Roberto, Barbadillo
M pouring three Sherries? We didn´t see that coming...
The nose is a dream with a breathtaking intensity and bottomless notes of nuts, orange peel, smoke, rubber, iodine and chrushed rocks. Just stunning.
The taste is counted in minutes with gorgeous notes of dried ginger, nuts, orange peel and salt water. Fabolous. Will go on forever.
97p (tasted 2022/11)
NV Amontillado Bota Unica 2/2, S. Roberto, Barbadillo
A very deep, complex nose with notes of candied orange peel, stale nuts, band aid and chrushed rocks. The same characteristics as the wine above but not that intense.
The taste is also almost the same as the 1/2 but it doesn´t reach that height. Very impressive though.
94p (tasted 2022/11)
NV Palo Cortado Bota Unica 1/1, S. Roberto, Barbadillo
Probably a wine for The ten most memorable of the year when I will make that list in January. The nose is a dream with a stunning intensity and nobility, with notes of red apples, earth, iodine, old tobacco and assorted nuts. Brilliant.
The taste is too intense, too layered, too perfect to describe. I can´t remember tasting a better Sherry. Impressive.
99p (tasted 2022/11)
A Sweet Ending
2018 Molino Real, Telmo Rodriguez
A high, sweet nose with notes of dried apricots, grilled lemons, warm grass and dried honey.
The taste is semisweet and creamy with notes of peaches, grilled lemons, birch sap and honey cakes. A tad heavy in the finish. Very good.
86p (tasted 2022/11)
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