Sep 17, 2009 - International Wine Cellar

New High Scores from International Wine Cellar

All reviews by Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, - Issue 146, September/October 2009

Condado de Haza Reserva Selección 2004 "Deep, vivid ruby. Highly perfumed bouquet displays sexy blackberry, boysenberry and cherry-cola scents, along with fresh flowers, bayberry and a suave vanilla note. Deep, smooth and velvety, offering sweet dark berry and cured tobacco flavors and well-knit oak spice character. Fine-grained tannins build with air and add shape to the sweet, slightly peppery finish. Manages to express power and ripeness without being heavy-handed. I'd give this another four to six years of cellar time. - 93 points"

Casta Diva Cosecha Miel 2008 "Bright gold. Apricot, peach pit, honey and chamomile on the nose, with a subtle spicy note adding energy. Creamy pit fruit flavors are complicated by notes of toasted nuts, marzipan and brown butter, with good mineral snap on the back. Offers an intriguing blend of sweetness and energy, with excellent finishing thrust and lingering toffee and apricot nectar notes. This decadent but surprisingly lively wine would be superb with blue cheeses, foie gras or a game terrine with nuts. - 93 points"

Casta Diva Fondillón 1999 "100% monastrell raised for eight years in barrique Dark violet color. Pungent aromas of boysenberry, cherry compote, pipe tobacco and dried fig, with notes of dried flowers and smoky minerals adding complexity. Coats the palate with sweet dark berry flavors, picking up a bitter cherry skin note with air. Extremely concentrated and liqueur-like in its sweetness but there's a graceful, focused quality that's compelling. Finishes with lush dark berry notes and serious cling. - 92 points"

El Vínculo Paraje la Golosa Reserva 2003 "Vivid red. Powerful aromas of singed cherry and dark berries, licorice, vanilla and smoke, with a sexy floral overtone. Ripe and expansive, offering deep bitter cherry and blackcurrant flavors with slow-building, pliant tannins adding shape and structure. A weighty, rich and ripe wine that manages to maintain focus. Finishes with a suave floral note, with very good smoky, spicy persistence. Serve this with a rich lamb dish. - 92 points"

Legado del Conde 2008 "Light yellow-gold. Lemon zest, pear and honeysuckle on the nose. Juicy citrus and bitter pit and orchard fruit flavors are firmed by dusty minerals, which add refreshing lift and incisive character. Dry, mineral-driven and pure, with impressive finishing clarity and minerality. This would work beautifully with fresh shellfish. - 91 points"

Valenciso Reserva 2004 "Powerful aromas of dried cherry, black raspberry, dark chocolate, tobacco and sexy oak spices. Sweet, creamy red and dark berry and cherry compote flavors are framed by velvety tannins and become spicier with air. A zesty mineral note carries into the finish. Deeply flavored in the style of the vintage, but this wine possesses very good energy too. Finishes with alluring sweetness and excellent cling. This is built for the long haul. - 91 points"

Guelbenzu EVO 2006 "Inky ruby color. Bordeaux-like red- and blackcurrant, cherry, tobacco and cedar aromas, with floral and anise notes adding complexity. A lively, spicy midweight with a creamy texture and sweet cherry-cola and dark berry flavors framed by silky tannins. A bitter cherry skin note adds grip to the long, sweet and impressively persistent finish. Very nicely balanced wine. - 91 points"

Alba de Bretón Reserva 2005 "Bright purple. Highly aromatic, spicy scents of black raspberry, cherry-cola, spicecake and minerals, with a smoky overlay. Creamy dark berry flavors are braced by a zesty mineral quality and firmed by fine-grained, nicely integrated tannins. Packs solid punch but there's a graceful character to this wine that will allow for early enjoyment. Still, I'd stash mine away for at least another five years. - 91 points"

Tebaida 2007 "Vivid ruby. Spicy, mineral-inflected aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and licorice, with a suave floral note gaining strength with air. Sweet and spicy, offering energetic, refreshingly bitter cherry and dark berry skin flavors and a sweet note of cola on the back end. Finishes with juicy persistence and resonating minerality. - 91 points"

Dominio de Conté Reserva 2005 "Inky ruby. Cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by licorice, cocoa powder and black pepper. Chewy, nicely concentrated bitter cherry and dark berry flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and framed by dusty tannins. A subtle blood orange quality adds energy to the long, spicy, refreshingly bitter finish. This is very young but quite promising. - 90+ points"

Morgadío Albariño 2008 "Light yellow. Talc, lime and pear on the nose. Juicy, refreshingly bitter orchard fruit and citrus zest flavors gain weight with air and pick up a sweet melon quality. Smooth, succulent and focused, with excellent finishing cut and spicy persistence. - 90 points"

Casal Novo Godello 2008 "Pale yellow color. Lively citrus and pear skin aromas are complicated by notes of lemon thyme, anise and talc. Firm and juicy, offering zest lime and orange peel flavors and an undercurrent of spicy minerals. Finishes dry, with very good clarity and lingering spiciness. This wine would work well with raw shellfish. - 90 points"

Martínsancho Verdejo 2008 "Green-tinged gold. Deep, pungent aromas of floral honey, pear, green papaya and salty minerals. Weighty orchard fruit and herb flavors are brightened by notes of orange peel and minerals, with a deeper honeyed quality on the back. Really stains the palate, showing excellent breadth and lingering spice and floral notes. - 90 points"

Príncipe de Salinas 2006 "Bright violet color. Ripe cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by notes of pipe tobacco, dark chocolate and smoky minerals. Juicy, concentrated dark berry flavors are attractively sweet; the tannins melt into the fruit with air and make a brief appearance on the broad, spicy, persistent finish. - 90 points"

Guelbenzu Azul 2006 "Inky ruby. Gently pungent, smoky cherry and red berry aromas are complemented by notes of cracked pepper and baking spices. Exotic black cardamom and clove add complexity to sweet cherry and raspberry flavors, with zesty minerality providing lift. Graceful wine, with very good finishing clarity and spicy persistence. I like this wine's low-fat character. - 90 points"

Peza do Rei Barrica 2007 "Vivid ruby. Spicy cherry and red- and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by tobacco, smoky minerals and licorice. Taut, juicy and fresh, offering precise bitter cherry and succulent herb flavors, with excellent mineral cut on the back. Impressively elegant and precise wine, with the balance to age. - 90 points"

Eidos de Padriñán Albariño 2008 "Pale gold. Racy lemon and green apple aromas give way to richer melon and peach with air. Smooth and gently sweet orchard fruit flavors are braced by a note of bitter lemon zest and show a talc-like mineral quality on the back end. Suavely blends energy and power, finishing with tangy citrus and succulent herb qualities. - 90 points"

Veigas de Padriñán 2008 "Light yellow-gold. Floral honey, melon and pear on the nose, with dusty mineral and lemon pith notes adding vivacity. Bracing and sharply delineated, offering zesty lemon and green apple flavors and a dusty mineral quality. The dry finish features a strong echo of citrus zest. This would be great with raw oysters. - 90 points"

Altico "A" 2007 "Bright violet. Cherry and dark berry liqueur aromas are complemented by notes of cracked pepper, violet and black tea. Rich, velvety and smooth, with deep, gently sweet blackberry and mulberry flavors and fine-grained tannins. Very suave wine with an expansive, sappy finish that strongly repeats the blackberry and pepper notes. I'd love to see this alongside some $40 New World syrahs. - 90 points"

Pazo de Arribi Mencía 2007 "Ruby-red. Seductive aromas of red and dark berries, Asian spices, pepper and licorice, with a strong undercurrent of minerals. Light in body and sweet, offering spicy blackberry and cassis flavors and a refreshingly bitter note of candied licorice. Tightly wound and spicy on the finish, which repeats the blackberry note. There's a pinot-like delicacy to this wine that's pretty interesting. - 89 points"

Guelbenzu Vierlas 2007 "Bright violet color. Fresh cherry and dark berry aromas are complemented by notes of black pepper and licorice. Juicy and fresh, with good tangy bite to the red and dark fruit flavors. I can't find any tannins on the brisk, focused finish, which leaves nervy dark berry skin notes behind. I like this wine's vivacious personality. - 89 points"

Can Feixes Blanc Selecció 2008 "Yellow-gold. Smoky peach, apricot pit and floral honey on the nose, with a hint of toasted grain. Peach and apple flavors initially seem quite dry but gain sweetness with air and are complemented by a note of talc-y minerals. I like this wine's blend of plumpness and nerve. Serve it with a creamy shellfish dish. - 88 points"

Viña Reboreda 2008 "Light gold. Mineral-accented pear and orange scents are complemented by lemon zest and floral notes. Silky in texture and dry, offering fleshy orchard and citrus flavors along with gentle mineral cut. Finishes with good clarity and spicy persistence. - 88 points"

Fuente del Conde Rosado 2008 "Dark pink. Dusty aromas of cherry, red berries, tangerine and white flowers. Nicely complex, light-bodied and fresh, with spicy red fruit flavors and a talc-y mineral bite. Finishes gently sweet and persistent. Has the oomph to handle richer foods and the bracing nervosite to work by itself. - 88 points"

Viña Gormaz Rueda 2008 "Light, bright yellow. Fresh-cut grass, mint, lemon and grapefruit on the nose, with a strong saline undertone. Light-bodied, faintly bitter citrus flavors are given depth by an exotic violet quality and a touch of honey. Finishes on a sweet tangerine note, with lingering minerality. - 88 points"

Emperador de Barros Tempranillo 2008 "Bright purple. Primary aromas of blackberry and cherry, with subtle floral and pepper notes adding interest. Light-bodied, gently sweet black and blue fruit flavors are pure and straightforward, showing good back-end lift and no obvious tannins. A real fruit bomb, and very easy to drink. - 88 points"

Pazo de Arribi Godello 2008 "Very light gold. Pungent, herb-laced citrus and melon aromas are underscored by zesty mineral and jasmine nuances. Juicy and smooth, with good depth to the spicy lemon and orange flavors. Finishes with an echo of herbs and good grip. I like this wine's dry, focused character. - 88 points"

Carchelo "C" 2008 "Inky ruby. Deeply pitched aromas of blackberry, cherry and plum. Sweet, pungent and ripe, showing strong smoke, mocha, dark berry preserve and herbal flavors on the palate. A supple, rich wine that betrays no tannins or rough edges and finishes with good sappy length. - 88 points"

Emperador de Barros Macabeo 2008 "Pale yellow. Pungent peach, pear and lemon zest aromas are complemented by a note of white pepper. Pliant, dry citrus and pear skin flavors are refreshingly bitter and focused, with juicy acidity providing lift. Finishes with good clarity and spicy cut. This will make a great summer wine. - 87 points"

Guelbenzu Red 2008 "Medium red. Ripe cherry and plum on the nose, with hints of smoky tobacco and herbs. Gently sweet red fruit flavors betray a touch of warmth and appear tannin-free. Easygoing and smooth, with good finishing sweetness. - 87 points"

Cepas Antiguas Tempranillo 2008 "Ripe cherry and dark berries on the nose, along with a whiff of tobacco. Solid, chewy cherry and blackberry flavors are enlivened by a kick of cracked pepper and are a touch rigid on the back. The blackberry note repeats on the finish, which is nicely focused… - 87 points"

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