Vinous (94)

Glass-staining ruby. A highly complex bouquet features ripe red berry, cherry liqueur, cured tobacco and mocha scents, and a smoky mineral nuance and a hint of white pepper add urgency. Sweet, mineral-driven blackberry, cherry-vanilla, chewing tobacco and candied rose flavors show impressive depth as well as energy. Blends power and finesse with a steady hand and finishes chewy, sweet and impressively long, with youthfully gripping tannins adding framework.

Decanter (96)

This has a burnished mahogany colour - pale and interesting with an intense nose, coffee, tertiary notes, forest floor, balsam and tree bark. On the palate graceful plum fruit is now giving way to raisin, toffee, balsam, coffee, spice box and creamy caramel. It has a refined texture with super complexity and balance alongside a lovely freshness, elegance and length. A classic, old school, mature Rioja which is very much alive and a joy to drink. It’s at its peak but should plateau at this level for some time if well stored.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

From the same vineyard as the Vatan release, the 2014 Vatan Arena is the first vintage of the cuvée and was brought up all in new French oak. This deep, inky-colored effort gives up awesome notes of crème de cassis, smoked earth, violets, and vanilla bean. Full-bodied, concentrated, yet opulent and layered, with fabulous purity of fruit and building tannin, this monumental beauty has no hard edges, fine, fine tannin, and a blockbuster finish. It's straight up gorgeous on all accounts yet needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will keep for 3-4 decades.

Exhibiting the sophistication of fine wine, the Mas Gil Emporda Clos Agon 2004 is a stunning product of Spain's Emporda region. This esteemed winery, owned by the Gil family since 1998, is nestled in the Verdera mountain foothills. The Emporda Clos Agon 2004, with its elegant intensity and complex character, speaks of a meticulously monitored wine-making process.

Crafted from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Grenache, it matures in a French oak ensemble that releases mouth-watering notes of ripe dark fruits, crowned by a hint of spiciness. Aged for two decades, the Mas Gil Emporda Clos Agon 2004 is now gracefully mature, boasting a resilient ruby colour and tannins that have mellowed over time.

This wine is testimony to Mas Gil's dedication to preserving the locality's wine-making heritage, providing an elegant taste of Emporda. Relax in its velvety embrace as you savour the rich, layered palate, that amplifies the splendour of the Mas Gil Emporda Clos Agon 2004.

Vinous (95+)

(a blend of 70% tempranillo and 30% graciano, from the estates best old vines; aged 18 months in new French Troncais barrels) Superripe aromas of blackberry, currant, minerals and sexy oak. Offers great sappy concentration, with black fruit flavors complicated by pie spices. The wine's sheer thickness of texture is leavened by harmonious acidity, giving it great finesse for a wine of this magnitude. Huge mounting finish features thoroughly ripe, noble tannins and penetrating berry and spice notes. (Fine Estates From Spain, Dedham MA

Vinous (90)

Good medium ruby. Explosive aromas of black cherry, roasted tomato, olive, game and nutty oak. Sweet, lush and gamey; a bit less densely packed than the young 2001 but still stuffed with fruit. Shows a syrah-like animal aspect.

Wine Advocate (96-98)

A prodigious effort, the 2001 Tirant is a 9,000-bottle cuvee made from 30% Grenache (90-100 years old), 25% Carignan (90-100 years old), 25% young vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, and 10% Merlot. Fermented in large oak foudres and aged 12 months in new French oak, it will be bottled with neither fining nor filtration. Inky/purple-colored to the rim, it boasts a spectacular bouquet of blueberries, blackberries, and the region’s classic crushed stone minerality. This full-throttle yet remarkably elegant 2001 possesses tremendous intensity and texture as well as layers of flavor, but comes across as not over the top, overripe, or overly heavy. The 60-second finish reveals more noticeable tannin than the other cuvees. Give it 1-2 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 10-15. The 2001 Tirant is indeed a special wine.

Vinous (97)

Glistening ruby-red. Highly perfumed aromas of fresh red and blue fruits, candied lavender and exotic spices are complemented by a smoky mineral overtone. Sappy and energetic on the palate, offering intense black raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors that slowly put on weight and turn spicier through the midpalate. The floral and mineral qualities repeat emphatically on the gently tannic finish, which clings with serious tenacity and persistent spiciness. Sourced from a 1.9-hectare, high-altitude plot that was planted in the mid-1930s.

An exquisite example of Catalan viticulture, the Torres Mas de la Rosa 2019 is a gem from Spain's renowned Torres winery. This Priorat red captures the essence of the region's licorella soil, yielding a complex and commanding wine. Crafted using the artisanal Carthusian method, it's entirely handmade from the vine to the cellar. Handpicked from century-old Grenache and Carignan vines, planted in steep slopes at an altitude of 400 metres, this mixture delivers an elegant bouquet.

The nose of the Torres Mas de la Rosa 2019 provides an array of dark berries, adorned with subtle notes of Mediterranean herbs and minerals. The palate is truly rich and audacious with a harmonious balance of ripe tannins and vibrant acidity, leading to a profound and lingering finish. A genuine expression of the producer’s commitment to tradition and quality makes it a must in a true connoisseur’s collection.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 1962 Vega Sicilia possesses quite astonishing purity on the nose with candied dark cherry fruit, eucalyptus, kirsch and a touch of cinnamon. This is what you might describe as a -perfect bouquet-. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin, seamless and satin-like in texture: an Unico that is shimmering with untrammeled greatness. Youthful, vivacious and utterly compelling, this is a profound wine that even after four decades is surfeit with precocity. Undoubtedly, this must be one of the greatest Spanish wines to have graced this planet. 87,600 bottles produced. Drink now-2020+ Tasted January 2012.