2008 Remelluri, Rioja Spanish Red.
Telmo Rodriguez’s beautiful and layered Rioja is as good as it gets, really it is hard to find anything not completely joyful and refined about this wonderful red that is mostly Tempranillo with touches of Garnacha and Graciano. While the 2007 was especially amazing considering the vintage, this 2008 just seems more of everything, with denser fruit, richer depth and firmer tannins making for a Rioja with a long glorious life ahead of it. The nose is pure with subtle smoke, earth, spice and currant laced dark fruits leading to a full mouth of cherry, boysenberry and plum fruits with lavender, licorice, rose petals, crushed rocks and vanilla bean essence. Touches of wild strawberry, cassis and fresh cut tobacco add to the complexity in this Rioja, and the finish is long while the smooth texture and tannins hold everything in near perfect order. I’m sure this wine will merit a higher score after a few years in bottle, so be sure to picked more than one bottle, and be sure to check out the Remelluri Blanc and the new Lindes de Remelluri Rioja Red, a huge value wine at close the $24, all of these should be out early summer of 2012.
($40 Est.) 94+ Points, grapelive

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