2000 La Rioja Alta Viña Alberdi Rioja 12.5%
Saw this at a reasonable price while having lunch at a local Spanish restaurant and took a bottle home. It was oxidised, but not knowing if it was pre or not, I took it back and they gave me a new one. Good thing I did, because the second was lovely. Not a top of the line Rioja Alta and perhaps not intended for this much aging, but showed a nice cherry and dill nose with some funk that soon blew off. Biting acidity, simple but attractive fruit, resolved tannins, well-integrated American oak. Mature, probably won't get any better, and very nice. Hooray for the old style.