3 | Wine | New Arrivals, Rioja, 86 or higher

"Deep violet color. Brighter and more lithe than the 2009 version, offering fresh red berry and floral aromas and flavors and showing a touch of youthful jamminess. Lively and focused, with very good back-end clarity and lingering spiciness. Still very young but I find this delicious now."

"Dark ruby-colored with a garnet rim, it displays a lovely nose of Asian spices, incense, tobacco, balsamic, and blackberry. On the palate it has exceptional depth, layers of spicy black fruit, excellent ripeness, and an elegant personality. Upon release it should continue to evolve for another 5-6 years and drink well through 2040."

"Well-defined mulberry, cocoa and mint-scented bouquet that unfurls temptingly in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and crisp acidity, serving up notes of blackberry, melted asphalt, undergrowth and a sandalwood. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of white pepper on the entry. It is underpinned by firm tannins: a solid structure that is classic in style, but one that melts and coalesces beautifully over the course of twenty minutes in the glass".

"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!"

"The 2005 Vina Arana Reserva has a fresh bouquet of orange blossom, quince, violets and dark cherries. The palate is succulent on the entry with vivacious maraschino cherry, red currant and blood orange. It displays a very fine build and a silky smooth texture that segues to a poised, mint-tinged, bright and animated finish."

"The nose is very lifted with floral notes: crushed violets and rose petals sprinkled over cassis and dark plum fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a gentle, insistent grip. It has a satin-like texture, bewitching harmony and a precise, languorous finish that exhibits spine-tingling minerality. Returning to the bottle hours after opening, it evolves ever-higher degrees of harmony and sumptuousness. It almost leaves you giggling stupidly at how good it is. It is expensive, but it is also cheaper than a First Growth."