772 | Wine | What's On Sale, Rioja

"The 2008 Reserva has dark cherry, cassis and graphite on the nose. The palate has a sappy nose with blackberry, raspberry and a touch of soy towards the finish. The tannins are ripe and quite “thick,” lending the 2008 admirable substance considering the vintage."

"Pale gold. Suave, floral-accented aromas of candied orchard fruits, orange zest, white flowers and brioche. Pliant and broad on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering gently sweet pear and citrus fruit flavors and a touch of vanilla. Finishes sappy and very long, with lingering spiciness and a hint of anise. This wine delivers outstanding value."

"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."

"Pale-rimmed ruby-red. Pungent aromas of dried cherry, spicecake and vanilla, with smoke and cigarbox overtones. Sweet, palate-coating cherry and cassis flavors are braced by gentle acidity and become spicier with air. Mocha and smoke note linger on a long, supple and gently tannic finish with very good energy."

"Exotic aromas of raspberry and blackberry preserves, cherry-vanilla, cola, incense and potpourri. Weighty, creamy red and dark berry flavors are sweetened by vanillin oak and enlivened by pepper and spice qualities. The dark berry notes build with air and carry through the long, sweet finish."

"Deep ruby. Aromas of ripe cherry, cassis, blackberry and dark chocolate, with a touch of cola. Lush, layered and focused, with a creamy texture and hefty dark fruit flavors. Shows the ripeness of the year but there's good energy here too. Finishes with smooth tannins, a hint of licorice and very good length. I'll bet that this will be even better in a couple years but it's approachable now."