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2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja Veraton - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja (12/7/2009)
– decanted for an hour before initial tasting –
– tasted non-blind over 2 days –
– 100% Garnacha –
NOSE: expressive nose starts out grapey with a forward chunk of funk, with hints of eucalyptus, oak, and non-descript dark fruits providing complexity. Day 2: eucalyptus again; medicinal tar; raspberry jelly; hint of molasses.
BODY: some sediment present; inky purple color of medium-deep to deep depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: initially, grapey with a good dose of raspberry jam; spicy oak; well-balanced with good acidity. Day 2: nice acidity; raspberry jelly; hint of smoke; 15.5% alc.; good finish (45-60 sec.); better on Day 2. This is not an elegant Grenache, but it does carry its considerable weight rather well. It’s been about two years since my last bottle of this, and it certainly seems to have softened a bit since last I had it, and the oak seems to be receding a bit as well.
B: 50, 5, 13, 17, 7 = (92 pts.)
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2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja Veraton - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja (2/26/2008)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 2 days –
NOSE: very strong nose of licorice and leather; ripe blackberries and notes of smoke quickly emerge as well; the oak is noticeable, but I don’t find it overwhelming; a slight reductive note is present (but is gone by Day 2); after a few hours of air, very pleasing caramel aromas also emerge.
BODY: very dark purple; fine particulate matter suspended in the wine - a lot of sediment in the bottle (especially for such a young wine); full bodied (especially on Day 2).
TASTE: at first, a bit tannic and showing its alcohol (15.5%). Air softens the edges to reveal an initially grapey wine whose leather and black licorice NOSE is reflected onto its palate; on the first day, this wine seemd quite extracted, yet still pleasing. The oak is evident on the palate, but I don’t find that it’s too much. Nice mocha and spice elements cling to the nice long finish of this wine. On Day 2: the wine had really taken-on a lot of weight. The mid and rear palates were now lush and pumping with tar/smoke/ripe dark berry flavors. What a beauty of a wine! Very “new world” in style. I would recommend a long healthy decant or a couple years in the cellar for this one. Will buy again at less than $30. Impressive effort.
B: 50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = points (92 pts.)
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