TN: 2K Bdx, 98 CdP, Spanish wines, more

Sounds like quite a romantic evening, Dale! :P

Pursuant to earlier conversations here, I find it interesting that the Gardine wasn't shut down. The '98 is the first Gardine I've put in the cellar since the '89 (which is still there). I usually find them a bit on the simple side, but in great vintages they represent a good value -- if not quite in the same league as Le Vieux Donjon or Font de Michelle.

I agree with you that Finca Allende is a bit "international," but to me that has nothing to do with the vanilla-ey oak, as the tradition in Rioja is to use American oak barrels for aging. Rather, it's the youthful, tannic nature of the wine (and the "early" release date) that characterize it to me as non-traditional.

Case in point of what I expect from a traditional Rioja.

As usual, thanks for the interesting notes, Dale.

Mark Lipton

That makes perfect sense, Dale. Personally, I think I'll let mine sit a few years longer and begin to work on those '89s in the mean time...

Gotcha!! As orginally stated, it was a bit of a non sequitur, but I get the point now. Thanks for the clarification.

Mark Lipton

Hi Mark (S):

I get the impression that Martin Codax is a big producer, so gets a lot of press.

I think a little time would do it good. Enjoy!

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

: >Actually, the oak was less what I was referring to than the low acidity/ripe : >> fruit profile. : >

: >Gotcha!! As orginally stated, it was a bit of a non sequitur, but I get the : >point : >now. Thanks for the clarification.

: BTW, even though some houses have used a lot of new oak for many years (before : Parkerization became a term), my favorite Rioja styles are the real old-style - : houses like Lopez de Heredia- very long aging in older oak casks. At LdH, both : the Tondonia and Bosconia GRs can last 30, 40, 50 years. Fantastic stuff. Not : cheap, but a lot less pricy than any other red wine with that kind of track : record. : Dale

Dale and others, the old-styled Rioja's DO have lots of oak from sitting in them for many years, but the oak 'marries' into the wine and is not used only for effect (or what I call 'frosting'). The result is a sweetness of being that simply is better than the sum of its parts.

Mark S