BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

TORO
92
Maurodos 2007 San Román (Toro). Bold
as always, with a ton of cedar, graphite, blackberry,
vanilla and coconut notes on the nose. This is
huge, tough and ripe, with massive blackberry, café
mocha and vanilla flavors. It finishes hard but with a
cascade of sweet fruit, marshmallow, coconut cake, herb
and vanilla. Needs a few more years to settle. Drink after
2013. Grapes of Spain. Cellar Selection. —M.S.
abv: 14.5% Price: $70
92
Teso La Monja 2009 Almirez (Toro). For
full review see page 7.
abv: 14.5% Price: $28
91
Numanthia-Termes, S.L. 2009 Termes
(Toro). Dark and opaque, with compact aromas
of rubbery blackberry and controlled oak. Feels flush
and grabby, with staunch tannins and creamy, toasty flavors
accenting core blackberry and cassis. This seems
more barrel-influenced the longer it airs out. A generous
wine to drink now through 2015. Moët Hennessy
USA. —M.S.
abv: 15% Price: $30
90
Bodegas Farina 2006 Gran Dama de Toro
(Toro). This is packed with oaky, masculine aromas
of black fruit, bacon, moss and leather, but in the
mouth it’s rough as nails, with heavy tannins propping
up flavors of blackberry, baked plum, herb and smoke.
It finishes earthy and toasty, with thick tannins and
ruggedness. Drink now with beef. Specialty Cellars.
—M.S.
abv: 14.5% Price: $45
90
Rejadorada 2009 Tinto Roble (Toro).
Chunky and chocolaty on the nose, with aromas
of raisins, blackberries and other black fruits. It feels
easy and round, with balance and toasty flavors of blackberries
and dark cherries. This finishes with a blend of
coffee, rubber, mocha and vanilla flavors. An excellent
wine; drink now through 2014. Casa Ventura Imports.
—M.S.
abv: 14.5% Price: $18
89
Cermeño 2009 Tinta de Toro (Toro). From
a good vintage like 2009, this modest Tinta de
Toro has a lot to offer. It smells slightly rustic but full
of fruit. The palate has a tannic but balanced feel, with
dark, sweet flavors of cassis and blackberry. It’s peppery
and lightly herbal on the finish. Beacon Wine Company.
—M.S.
abv: 14.5% Price: $15
89
Cyan 2004 La Calera Tinta de Toro (Toro).
Sweet on the nose but also a little green, with
minty aromas of herb mixed with blueberry. It feels
typically tannic and tough, with roasted blackberry and
chocolate flavors. The finish is tannic, with spicy, chocolaty
flavors that last for quite a while. Drink now. USA
Wine West. —M.S.
abv: 14% Price: $27
88
Muruve 2009 Joven Tinto (Toro). For a
60,000-case Toro, this is very good and well recommended.
It smells full, leathery and slightly cheesy,
with baked berry aromas. The palate is smooth, with
minty, spicy, black fruit flavors. A hint of young oak rises
up on the finish. United Cellars, Inc. Best Buy. —M.S.
abv: 14.5% Price: $10
84
Bodegas Farina 2005 Dama de Toro Crianza
(Toro). Opens with tolerable green tobacco
and green bean aromas interspersed with blackfruit
notes and earth. It feels astringent and supertannic,
with leathery, herbal berry flavors. Same on the finish,
which is rough in feel and tastes herbal. Specialty
Cellars. —M.S.
abv: 13.5% Price: $17
83
Taurus 2007 Roble (Toro). Soft and stewy
up front, without a whole lot of vigor. It feels
wide and hard, with abrasive tannins and strained flavors
of herbal berry and leather. On the finish it’s earthy,
tannic and warm, with a weedy note along with barrel
spice. Cabernet Corporation. —M.S.
abv: 14% Price: $15
UTIEL-REQUENA
87
Bodegas Iranzo 2007 Tarantas Crianza
Made With Organic Grapes (Utiel-Requena).
For full review see page 12. Best Buy.
abv: 13% Price: $10
85
Corolilla 2007 Crianza Viñas Viejas Bobal
(Utiel-Requena). Jammy and mildly baked
on the bouquet, with cinnamon, matchstick and blueberry
aromas. It’s full and tannic, with a mix of stewed
fruit, brown sugar, spice and tomato making up the flavor
profile. The woody and chunky finish has herb and
tomato notes. Opici Wines. —M.S.
abv: 13.5% Price: $13
83
Bodegas Iranzo 2006 Vertus Crianza
Wine Made with Organically Grown
Grapes Tempranillo (Utiel-Requena). Burnt and
leathery smelling, with aromas of earth, rubber and
baked fruit. It feels rough and grabby, with dry spice,
cinnamon and roasted berry flavors. The finish is abrasive,
with some warmth. Natural Merchants LLC.
—M.S.
abv: 13% Price: $11
82
Vicente Gandia 2007 Hoya de Cadenas
Reserva Privada Tempranillo-Cabernet
Sauvignon (Utiel-Requena). This smells flat and
stewy, with jammy sweetness and little punch. Conversely,
it’s pointy on the palate, with tart, generic redberry
flavors and warmth on the finish. A blend of Tempranillo
and Cabernet Sauvignon. Vicente Gandia PLA.
—M.S.
abv: 12.5% Price: $10
VALDEPEÑAS
83
Viña Albali 2007 Reserva Tempranillo
(Valdepeñas). Dusty red-fruit aromas come
with earthy, leathery tones. It feels tight, drawn and
resiny, with hard spice and oak flavor. There’s not much
fruit to ponder, and the finish is dried out, with a woody
note. Luneau USA Inc. —M.S.
abv: 13% Price: $13
83
Viña Albali 2006 Gran Reserva Tempranillo
(Valdepeñas). This is cedary and dry
smelling, with more spice than fruit aromas. It feels
crisp, tight and acidic, with flavors of raspberry, red
plum and forced spice coming from the heavy oak. Dry,
oaky and spicy on the finish. Luneau USA Inc. —M.S.
abv: 13% Price: $15
82
Marques de Moral 2007 Crianza Tempranillo
(Valdepeñas). Stemmy, earthy aromas
of cherry and hard spice lead to a rough palate with hard
cherry and berry flavors. It blackens up on a pounding
finish; this is edgy and rough stuff. Kysela Père et Fils.
—M.S.
abv: 13% Price: $12
82
Viña Albali 2007 Crianza Tempranillo
(Valdepeñas). Mild raspberry and tomato
aromas precede a grabby-feeling wine with sandpaper
tannins and flavors of medicinal plum and tomato. It
comes across loud but raw and unrefined. Luneau USA
Inc. —M.S.
abv: 13% Price: $10
CASTILLA
88
Bodega Los Aljibes 2005 Aljibes (Vino de
la Tierra de Castilla). This opens with sweet,
compact aromas of raisin and spice. It feels more perky
and crisp in the mouth, with a slight acidic cut and flavors
of roasted berry, herb and chocolate. The finish is
lightly herbal and minty, with peppery spice and plenty
of length. A classic Bordeaux blend of roughly one-third
each of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Casa
Ventura Imports. —M.S.
abv: 13.5% Price: $19
88
Viñas del Cenit 2009 Venta Mazzaron
Tempranillo (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla).
Smoky, dark and robust, with blackberry and black
coffee on the bouquet. It’s full, textured, resiny and tannic
on the palate, with blocky blackberry, leather and
a pinch of saltiness. Dry, dense and oaky late, this is
powerful overall. Aviva Vino. —M.S.
abv: 14.5% Price: $15
87
Dominio de Punctum 2010 Lobetia Made
with Organic Grapes Tempranillo (Vino
de la Tierra de Castilla). Peppy, clean black-fruit
aromas come with a touch of leather. It feels full and
juicy, with a firm texture and bright, lightly toasted flavors
of plum and berry. This is an uncomplicated wine,
the perfect quaffer for the price. Terroir Wine Cellars.
Best Buy. —M.S.
abv: 13.5% Price: $10
86
Bodega Los Aljibes 2006 Aljibes Cabernet
Franc (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla).
This smells gritty and herbal on first take, with roasted,
leafy aromas. The herb and red fruit flavors are a bit
spotty, remaining herbal and mildly green on the finish,
with snappy acidity. Casa Ventura Imports. —M.S.
abv: 14% Price: $28
WineMag.com | 43