1 | Wine | Tempranillo, 91 to 95, 2009

"Aromas of toasty oak, graphite, balsamic, incense, and black fruits are followed by a dense, powerful Tempranillo from the great 2009 vintage. Rich, savory, and pleasure bent, it is a great value."

"Its name is derived from the ancient caves under San Vicente de la Sonsierra castle where the old cellar is located. It has a seductive bouquet with beautifully defined, precise, graphite-tinged black and blueberry fruit that unfolds with passing moments. The palate has immense purity and sense of symmetry and gently grips the mouth on the long, elegant finish. If you cannot afford Contador, well, this sure as hell comes close!"

"Glass-staining ruby. Sexy, oak-spiced aromas of dark berry compote, cola and violet, with subtle vanilla and underbrush nuances. Broad and sweet on the palate, offering ripe blackberry and cherry-vanilla flavors and slow-mounting smokiness. The floral note comes back on the finish, which clings with impressive tenacity and focus. Shows good energy for a ripe vintage."

"It has a well-defined, elegant bouquet of blackberry, sage and orange zest, the latter really coming forth with aeration. The palate is well-defined with supple tannins and layers of refined red fruit that caress the mouth and lend it a smooth, velvety finish that is impossible to resist."

"The palate is full-bodied with a silky smooth texture, the oak singing from the same hymn sheet as the precocious fruit that is underpinned by super-fine tannins. It offers weightless intensity. The Pagos Viejos has fine symmetry and poise towards the finish with a just a faint tang of Seville orange marmalade on the aftertaste. Everything is in place - just add time."

"The 2009 has a fresh, floral, Margaux-like bouquet with fine delineation and intensity. The palate is full-bodied with an almost impenetrable carapace of licorice-tinged black fruits, minerals, citrus peel and a powerful, sensual finish. Perhaps impressive more than pleasurable (at the moment), this behemoth will need a decade in the cellar before it will shine."

"It has a very sensual bouquet with dark cherries, creme de cassis and creamy new oak smeared on top - without compromising delineation. The palate is full-bodied and is certainly the most voluminous of the three single vineyard wines, with perhaps the best balance and freshness, seeming to handle that oak with style. The finish is beautifully poised with life-affirming freshness. Primal but persuasive, this should turn out to be a fantastic Rioja."

"A rich, opulent bouquet with kirsch, maraschino, shoe polish and licorice. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with saturated, corpulent tannins that caress the mouth. At its heart are layers of sumptuous ripe red cherry, fresh strawberry and vanillary new oak towards the rambunctious finish."