Watching the last two episodes of Kami no Shizuku (Drops of God), based on the Japanese manga about wine inevitably leads to a thirst so I chose to drink a Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890 1995 as I needed to take notes on this wine anyway for an upcoming Spanish dinner for the Chaine des Rotisseurs.
The rim has already turned brown but the core is still dark. Meat and leather come at you at first, followed by blackberry, black cherry and blueberry. Mixed in there as well is some earth and cocoa powder. On the palate, however, red berries dominate. Mostly raspberry and strawberry although blackcurrant is also present. There is also some wood, tobacco leaf and dried herbs. Dry, medium-bodied and lean. The tannins are soft so it's the acid that provides the structure. Good length and complexity. Definitely in the traditional style. I would say already at peak now. Very good.