A nice, smooth medium bodied wine. I'm not a big fan of peppery wines, which this is not. I agree with the reviews the finish is excellent.

This wine opened up with aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, dark plum, Asian spices, incense, leather and black pepper. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, firm structure, concentrated flavours with balanced acidity and considerable tannins. This wines finish is long with loads of black fruit, bitter chocolate and woody tannins. I really enjoyed the aromatics and mouthfeel, but even if this Rioja is almost nine years old the tannins still need time to soften up a bit. The finish is too tannic and tangy for me at this time. Give this wine another year or two.