2001 D.O.Ca Rioja Gran Reserva Coto Vintage, La Rioja, Spain

Restrained, with air more intense, delicately acidic and a hint of vegetal scent of mixed berries and some cherries with earthy notes, lovage and other soup herbs, dried floral hints and some minerality. Juicy, quite tightly knitted fruit in the mouth, nutty and bitter-chocolatey wood aromas, candy tones and herbal notes reminiscent of lovage, earthy and undergrowthy tones in the background, partly slightly drying tannin, melting on the palate, but also some acid bite, good persistence, not eternally deep, but quite tightly knitted, good to very good, slightly drying-woody finish with, candied fruit, a little tobacco and soup herbs.

Best to drink: Bis 2015+. What our ratings mean