WTN: Lagunilla 2001 Rioja Reserva

This is the second time I've tried to write a tasting note - I find knowing that I'm planning to write a note for public consumption (or any note at all for that matter) makes me concentrate on and enjoy the wine that much more.

I found this much more challenging than my first attempt. Not only did this wine seem to differ from the typical Rioja flavours I'm used to but the wine seemed complex and I found picking out distinct flavours difficult.

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Wine is a pleasing red but slightly paler than the usual deep Rioja red. The aroma seemed initially to be of blackcurrant but with a touch of mint.

Initial flavour was fruity - largely black and redcurrants but this seemed to quickly become dominated by a menthol, almost medicinal flavour. I wasn't entirely sure I liked this, but it was certainly distinctive. This faded to a long, lingering finish of surprisingly hot spices and pepper.

There was a pleasing balance to the wine with no dominating acidity, sweetness or tannins - it seemed smooth and soft. In both the taste and the smell it seemed at times I could detect other notes that I found difficult to place. Pine, toast and smoke perhaps?

Hi Matt, and thanks for the notes.

I have a difficult time identifying all but a few aromas and flavors in more complex wine, too. The only descriptors that I'm ever really certain of are spicy, smoky, earthy or mineral. I have a really hard time identifiying different fruit - seems like it always tastes like either green apples, pear or lemon in whites, and black cherry in reds. I did have a syrah the other night in which I could detect some licorice. Seems like the simpler (and frankly, the worse) a wine is, the easier it is to detect strong flavors. We toured a Virginia winery once and the wines were really bad, but everyone in attendance was able to agree immediately as to what aromas were present in each one (urine, ashtray, and spinach were all used).

I think you did a great job!

This is the second time I've tried to write a tasting note - I find knowing that I'm planning to write a note for public consumption (or any note at all for that matter) makes me concentrate on and enjoy the wine that much more.

I found this much more challenging than my first attempt. Not only did this wine seem to differ from the typical Rioja flavours I'm used to but the wine seemed complex and I found picking out distinct flavours difficult.

------

Wine is a pleasing red but slightly paler than the usual deep Rioja red. The aroma seemed initially to be of blackcurrant but with a touch of mint.

Initial flavour was fruity - largely black and redcurrants but this seemed to quickly become dominated by a menthol, almost medicinal flavour. I wasn't entirely sure I liked this, but it was certainly distinctive. This faded to a long, lingering finish of surprisingly hot spices and pepper.

There was a pleasing balance to the wine with no dominating acidity, sweetness or tannins - it seemed smooth and soft. In both the taste and the smell it seemed at times I could detect other notes that I found difficult to place. Pine, toast and smoke perhaps?

Thanks for the note, Matt.

I hope to read more of your Rioja notes!

Best,
Joe

[Jenise]

Seems like the simpler (and frankly, the worse) a wine is, the easier it is to detect strong flavors.

RIGHT! And the more complex a wine is, the harder it can be to separate the panoply of flavors possible. At first: things improve because your palate kind of trains itself. I promise!