12.29.15
ANTONIO SANZ Verdejo 2014 || 90 points “Green-tinged yellow. Mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas convey good clarity and lift, with a suave floral note in the background. Racy and dry on the palate, offering bitter lime zest and quince flavors and a subtle herbal flourish. The mineral and floral notes repeat on the very persistent, stony finish. Made from organically grown grapes planted in a single vineyard, this wine was aged on its lees in stainless steel tanks.” BODEGAS LA HORRA Corimbo 2012 || 92 points “Deep ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, incense and vanilla, with a sexy floral overtone. Sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering intense blackberry and cherry-vanilla flavors that are given spine and sharpened by juicy acidity. Rich yet vibrant, with excellent closing thrust and harmonious tannins building slowly and lending structure.” BODEGAS LA HORRA Corimbo I 2011 || 93 points “Bright purple. An expansive and exotically perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, incense, vanilla and Indian spices, with a smoky mineral overtone. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering intense blackberry and boysenberry flavors that deepen and pick up spiciness as the wine opens up. Rich yet lithe, with outstanding closing thrust and velvety tannins lending shape. This wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and wooden vats and then aged for 18 months in new French and American oak.” MAS QUE VINOS Ercavio Airen 2014 || 89 points “Green-tinged straw. High-pitched aromas of lime zest, melon, spearmint and white flowers. Light-bodied and refreshingly brisk on the palate, showing good depth to its tangy citrus and orchard fruit flavors. Fleshes out nicely with air, finishing on a repeating melon note, with good cut and cling.” MAS QUE VINOS Ercavio Tempranillo 2013 || 90 points “Brilliant ruby. Smoke-accented dark berries and cherry on the fragrant nose. Smooth, sweet and open-knit, offering pliant blackberry and violet pastille flavors that tighten up and gain focus on the back half. Nicely plays richness off vivacity and finishes with very good persistence and supple tannins, leaving a juicy berry note behind. This wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, with the malo taking place in clay amphoras, followed by eight months of aging in used French and American oak.” BODEGAS MUSTIGUILLO Mestizaje Blanc 2014 || 89 points “Pale yellow. Fresh melon and pear on the nose, with vibrant Meyer lemon and mineral notes building in the glass. Silky, penetrating and pure, with intense honeydew and lemon curd flavors that open up on the back half. The lingering finish leaves white peach and citrus pith notes behind. Merseguera, a local variety, is virtually extinct at this point.” BODEGAS MUSTIGUILLO Finca Calvestra 2013 || 91 points “Green-tinged straw. Mineral-tinged citrus and orchard fruits on the nose, with hints of jasmine, white flowers and vanilla adding complexity. Densely packed and creamy but vibrant as well, offering sappy pear and nectarine flavors and a hint of bitter lemon zest. Turns more mineral on the penetrating finish, which repeats the citrus note and leaves floral and iodine nuances behind. This wine was aged for year in a combination of new and used French oak and acacia barrels.” LECHUZA Garnacha 2014 || 89 points “Vivid ruby. Fresh red berries accented by cinnamon and white pepper on the fragrant nose. Fruity and seamless in the mouth, with fresh raspberry and redcurrant flavors given a refreshingly bitter edge by a jolt of orange zest. Finishes on a subtly tannic note, with good focus and cling.” PAGOS DE LAVEGO Ribera del Duero Crianza 2012 || 90 points “Brilliant ruby. Fresh raspberry, vanilla and floral oils on the oak-spiced nose. Smooth and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy red fruit and spicecake flavors that deepen on the back half. Plays richness off of vivacity deftly and finishes sappy and quite long, with supple tannins lending shape.”