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1970 Berberana Rioja Reserva Carta de Oro - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (12/21/2013)
The cork on this wine looked clean upon removing the top of the capsule but it turned to mush using an ah-so. I removed ~75% of the cork and then decanted to remove what was left. The wine was noticeably fragrant with tar and earthy funk. After an hour, the nose fades a bit but does not change in character. On the palate, the fruit has essentially faded to reveal a range of dark tertiary flavors. I singled out tar, saddle leather, damp earth. I’m a bit surprised by the strong acidity of this wine, which makes the clean and quite long.
This wine was paired with lamb shoulder chops braised in lamb stock, a touch of pinot noir, and aromatics (mushrooms, onion, garlic) served on a bed of pearl barley with roasted brussel sprouts on the side. It held up quite nicely and the acidity helped cut through the food. A lovely pairing. (91 pts.)
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