Has anyone noticed in increase in quality from Faustino?

I know Noel is a fan and I've always liked them, but the bottles I've had since WineRoute started importing Faustino a couple of years ago has led me to ponder whether whether Faustino has taken a step up in quality or whether they are being treated with more respect by their latest importer, WineRoute. I've written about this before on my blog - the previous importer, France-Israel Group, simply had no respect for their portfolio and their customers, and in their heyday, I'm sure the bottle of Faustino, Gran Reserva I, 1999 we've been enjoying tonight would have already been fully mature. Instead, this seems rather young and adolescently lively, which is surprising since 1999 is supposedly relatively dilute in Rioja (my sources are the Hugh Johnston Wine Pocket Book and the Tom Stevenson Wine Report). The initial pour shows typical Tempranillo fruit (red fruit, pungent tobacco leaves) in its primary form, alongside the typical aromatic effects of American barrels. In time I find a hint of the vegetable stew that Gran Reservas can develop, but it still feels like this needs a few years to fully express all of its potential. Anyway, what you get now is fine acidity and savory tannins - implying a fine future -, a sturdy palate and a somewhat surprising overlay of minerals (surprising because I rarely get it to that extent in Riojas, and never with Faustino).