The 2004 Baron de Magana is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Tempranillo aged for 14 months in 70% new French oak. Inky purple, it has an alluring perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, wood smoke, blackberry, and black currant. Ripe, sweet, and more structured than the Dignus, it merits 3-5 years of additional cellaring and should drink well through 2018.

Wine Advocate Rating: 90

[Issue: #175 / Feb 08]

The 2008 Ludovicus is a blend of 35% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 25% Syrah, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for three months in French and American oak. It has a glass-coating deep crimson hue with an expressive nose of cherry, blueberry, and blackberry. Mouth-filling, succulent, and flavorful, this tasty effort is a sensational value for drinking over the next 1-2 years.

Wine Advocate Rating: 90

[Issue: #191 / Feb 09]

The 2008 Atalaya is a blend of Monastrell, Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), and other unspecified varieties. It was aged for 8 months in French oak. Deep crimson-colored, it displays an aromatic array of cedar, spice box, violets, blueberry, and blackberry with a hint of licorice in the background. On the palate it has layers of savory fruit, excellent concentration, and a long, fruit-filled finish. It is likely to evolve for 1-3 years but can be enjoyed now. This outstanding value over-delivers in a big way.

Wine Advocate Rating: 90

[Issue: #188 / April 10]

The 2007 Puerta Bonita G5 is sourced from 120 year old vines in the new Madrid D.O. Opaque purple with a slightly brooding nose, with coaxing black cherry and raspberry aromas emerge. This is followed by a structured wine with 2-3 years of aging potential. The flavors have depth and concentration marked by spicy, savory red fruits. While this excellent effort will evolve in the cellar, few purchasers will be able to delay their gratification for more than a matter of hours.

Wine Advocate Rating: 90

[Issue: #178 / Aug 08]

92% monastrell and 8% garnacha. Inky purple. Deep, smoky, seductively perfumed bouquet of dark berries, macerated cherries, licorice and Indian spices. Powerful blackberry and cassis flavors are surprisingly lively, with notes of black cardamom and candied violet adding complexity. A zesty note of cracked pepper adds snap to the long, spicy, subtly sweet finish. Once again, this is probably the top value I found in my annual tastings of new releases from Spain. Some of the vines in this plot reportedly date back to 1872.

Int'l Wine Cellar Rating: 91

[Issue: Sept/Oct 09]

A blend of carinena, syrah and garnacha) Inky purple. Sexy aromas of blueberry and boysenberry compote are complemented by cinnamon and mace, along with a subtle smoky undertone. Gains weight and richness with air, picking up notes of mocha and candied flowers. I looked for tannins but failed to find them. Extremely attractive right now.

Int'l Wine Cellar Rating: 90

[Issue: Sept / Oct 09]

A subtle, balanced red, with firm tannins that are fleshed out by dark berry, plum and lots of spice. A touch of dark chocolate shows midpalate through the lingering finish. Give this some air in the glass.

Wine Spectator Rating: 90

[Issue: Aug 31/10]

The 2006 Venta Mazzaron is 100% Tempranillo aged in oak for nine months. Deep crimson-colored, it offers up a smoky perfume of mineral, licorice, espresso, and blackberry. This leads to a firm, structured wine with plenty of succulent fruit, spice notes, excellent balance, and a pure finish. Although it will improve in the bottle for 1-2 years, it can be enjoyed now.

Wine Advocate Rating: 90

[Issue: #181 / Feb 09]

This polished red shows density and balance, with black cherry, currant, licorice and espresso notes. Well-structured, balanced and sleek. Restrained now, but should evolve well. Tempranillo. Drink now through 2017.

Wine Spectator Rating: 90

[Issue: Web only/2010]

Concentrated yet supple, this ripe red shows raspberry, cherry, ganache and cola notes, with plenty of toast and chocolate. There's a nice balance of tannins and juicy acidity.

Wine Spectator Rating: 90

[Issue: June 15/10]

Bright medium red. A complex bouquet displays redcurrant, raspberry, musky herbs and fresh flowers. Precise red fruit flavors are supported by tangy minerality and sweetened by a gentle cola quality. There's an intriguing pinot-like focus and delicacy to this wine. Darker fruits arrive on the finish, which is sappy and persistent.

Int'l Wine Cellar Rating: 91

[Issue: Sept / Oct 08]

The grapes for the 2007 Almirez came from 30-year-old ungrafted head pruned vines. The wine was aged for 12 months in one-year-old French oak. Deep crimson-colored, it displays an expressive nose of spice box, espresso, plum, and blackberry compote. Full-bodied on the palate with layers of savory black fruits, lots of spice, and enough fine-grained tannin to evolve for 1-2 years. It is an excellent value that over-delivers in a big way.

Wine Advocate Rating: 91

[Issue: #188 / April 10]

A notable value composed of 55% Samso and 45% Garnacha aged for 10 months in French oak. Dark ruby/purple, it exhibits a fragrant bouquet of cedar, spice box, mineral, and black cherry. This leads to a smooth-textured, elegant, sweetly-fruited wine already revealing considerable complexity. There is some silky tannin lurking in the background which will allow this tasty effort to drink well through 2020.

Wine Advocate Rating: 90

[Issue: #178 / Aug 08]

A velvety texture carries ripe, spicy flavors of plum pudding, chocolate, cinnamon and raisin, yet remains firm and fresh, tender and long. A modern style. Drink now through 2013.

Wine Spectator Rating: 90

[Issue: Web only/2010]

60% carinena, 30% garnacha and the rest cabernet sauvignon and syrah. Bright ruby. Complex, highly aromatic nose melds zesty red berries, minerals, flowers and Asian spices; smells a lot like a sexy pinot noir. Perfumed and sweet in the mouth, with a silky texture and sweet raspberry flavor framed by supple tannins. Gentle acidity gives energy to the wine and adds bite to the tangy, focused finish. This is the first vintage for this bottling.

Int'l Wine Cellar Rating: 90

[Issue: Sept/Oct 09]

Dense yet lively, this chewy red delivers cherry, berry, licorice, mineral and smoke notes. The tannins are firm, yet the wine remains fresh and clean. Oaky, but well-grounded.

Wine Spectator Rating: 92

[Issue: June 15/10]

The entry-level wine (what an entry!) is the 2007 Petalos del Bierzo, 100% Mencia from vineyards ranging in age from 40 to 90 years. It spends its first few weeks in new French barriques before transfer to seasoned oak for 6 to 10 months. Saturated purple in color, it offers up a super-fragrant bouquet of smoke, violets, mineral, wild blueberry, and black raspberry. Fruity yet complex on the palate, it has superb depth, grip, and balance. This sexy effort can be enjoyed over the next six years but only hedonists need apply.

Wine Advocate Rating: 92

[Issue: #181 / Feb 09]

Bright ruby color. Intensely spicy aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry and incense. Juicy and fresh, with vibrant red berry preserve flavors, silky texture and good mineral bite. Reminded me of a serious New World pinot noir. Finishes with excellent tangy persistence and a strong echo of red berries. This stylish wine is made by the Emilio Moro family.

Int'l Wine Cellar Rating: 92

[Issue: Sept/Oct 08]

The 2007 Les Terrasses is the same blend as the Camins cuvee but entirely sourced from old vines. It spent 12 months in 20% new French oak. Aromas of mineral, Asian spices, espresso, black cherry, and black raspberry lead to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, smooth-textured wine. Savory, moderately structured, and approachable, it may evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years.

Wine Advocate Rating: 92

[Issue: #188 / Apr 10]

The 2007 Victorino was sourced from 45-year-old vines and aged in new French oak for 18 months. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it is bigger, more structured, and more concentrated than the Almirez but with slightly rustic tannins. Give it 5-7 years and drink it from 2016 to 2027.

Wine Advocate Rating: 92+

[Issue: #188 / April 10]

The 2006 Brao is a blend of 50% Garnacha and 50% Samso aged for 12 months in French oak, some of it new. Purple colored, it offers a similar aromatic profile but is more structured and fuller-bodied than the Acustic. Layered, bordering on opulent, the wine has superb depth, concentration, and a 40-second finish. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and drink it through 2026.

Wine Advocate Rating: 92

[Issue: #175 / Feb 08]

Bodegas Matarredonda, whose first vintage was 2001, is off to a quick start. As is typical in the D.O. of Toro, these wines are 100% Tinta de Toro, the local clone of Tempranillo. The 2003 Libranza comes from a 12-acre vineyard of pre-phylloxera Tinta de Toro vines ranging in age from 100-140 years. The wine received 14 months in French and American oak. Purple-colored and more marked by the oak, this wine is a bit ungiving aromatically but with coaxing, notes of vanilla, earth, spice box, and blackberry emerge. On the palate this large-scaled wine has a supple texture, layers of fruit, and plenty of ripe tannin. Everything is in balance and this wine should continue to evolve for at least 4-6 more years and drink well through 2025.

Wine Advocate Rating: 92

[Issue: #169 / Feb 07]

The 2005 El Puntido is 100% Tempranillo sourced from a vineyard of the same name planted in 1975. Malolactic fermentation was sur lie in new French oak for four months followed by 18 months in new French barriques. Purple/black-colored with a brooding nose of great promise, it shows off notes of new oak, crushed stone, scorched earth, roasted herbs, incense, and blackberry. Voluminous yet elegant on the palate, it is mouth-filling and rich with gobs of fruit and plenty of ripe tannin. Give this lengthy effort 6-8 years of cellaring and drink it from 2016 to 2030.

Wine Advocate Rating: 94

[Issue: #183 / June 09]

The 2004 Remirez de Ganuza is dark ruby-colored with a splendidly expressive perfume of pain grille, crushed stone, scorched earth, and assorted black fruits. Youthful and tightly wound on the palate, the wine has all the components for potential greatness. Dense, lengthy, and complex, with 6-8 years of cellaring this wine will be smoking!

Wine Advocate Rating: 96

[Issue: #175 / Feb 08]

Bodegas Pintia is owned by Vega Sicilia. Pintia is located further west along the Duero River inside the warmer D.O. of Toro. The estate owns 96 hectares of land. The first vintage released was the 2001. As for the 2005 Pintia, it is 100% Tinta de Toro aged for one year in new French and American oak. Opaque purple-colored, it offers a complex perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied, ripe, layered wine with intense flavors, serious complexity, and exceptional length.

Wine Advocate Rating: 95

[Issue: #175 / Feb 08]

Inky purple. Powerful, mineral-driven aromas of cherry, blueberry, violet oil, licorice and minerals, with a strong overlay of Asian spices. Large-scaled yet elegant, offering sweet dark berry flavors and exotic notes of candied flowers and fruitcake. The mineral element drives the finish, which is broad, sweet and focused. Offers an uncanny blend of power and finesse.

Int'l Wine Cellar Rating: 95

[Issue: Sept/Oct 09]

The 2007 Alabaster came from pre-phylloxera vines yielding a miniscule half ton of fruit per acre. It went through ML in new French oak before being transferred to a different set of new French oak barrels for 18 months of aging. Glycerin oozes down the glass of this remarkably rich effort. Purple/black colored, it offers up a brooding nose of licorice, fresh tar, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it is full-bodied, dense, and chewy, but in balance. This behemoth demands 8-10 years of cellaring but should ultimately reward patient cellaring in a big way. Bodegas Teso La Monja is the Eguren family’s new project in Toro featuring a state of the art winery and old vines of Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo). The sandy soils here meant that phylloxera never took hold so that most of the vines are ungrafted.

Wine Advocate Rating: 94

[Issue: #188 / April 2010]

The flagship 2005 Aro is composed of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano sourced from Muga’s best and oldest vineyards. It is then aged for 18 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color, the wine’s legs ooze slowly down the glass. Aromas of toasty new oak, mineral, spice box, incense, and blackberry are followed by a muscular, back-strapping infant of a wine with huge fruit, flavor, and structure. Deep, layered, and nearly impenetrable, it will require a minimum of a decade of cellaring. Do not think of touching a bottle before 2015 and then enjoy it through 2030. It is a true vin de garde.

Wine Advocate Rating: 95

[Issue: #183 / June 09]

The 2004 Aurus is not quite as large-scaled as the 2005 but makes up for it with elegance. This stylish wine has a splendid perfume of sandalwood, incense, truffle, Asian spices, lavender, and black cherry leading to an already complex, spicy, savory wine with superb volume and mouth-coating flavors. Give it another 4 years of cellaring and drink it through 2034. Collectors will discuss the merits of 2004 and 2005 for many years to come.

Wine Advocate Rating: 98

[Issue: #189 / June 10]