Been awhile since I've had one of Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez' wines. Last one was a 2010 Condado de Haza in 2017, but I've always enjoyed them. I never had one that was over 30 years old and I was really looking forward to this. Color is still a dark maroon with only a very slight brick hue at the edges. First sniff revealed leather, cinnamon, truffle and a mellow coffee note. With a little air, some ripe black cherries and fig notes dominate. On the first sip, the wine was leaning towards light bodied. Very fine grained tannins are barely noticeable. Acidity and alcohol are also very faint on the palate. Again, with a little air, the wine seems to flesh out to more medium bodied, and the acidity comes through a little more. Still not much structure, but more than I expected from this vintage and at this age. Flavor profile is floral with ripe red berry fruit and all tertiary on the finish with chocolate, coffee, truffle, leather and baking spices. To be honest, I didn't expect much from this bottle (I bought an inexpensive Chianti as a backup in case this was vinegar) but it over delivered in terms of enjoyment. I think Ribera del Duero is overlooked due to Rioja's preeminence. Obviously you've got Pingus and Vega Sicilia carrying the banner but there are some well crafted affordable wines here. Highly recommend Fernandez' Tinto Pesquera and Condado de Haza. Cheers!
by lordhighsteward
1 Comment
Such a testament to the understated baseline quality of winemaking in this DOP that a Crianza from 33 years ago would hold up as well as you say this bottle has. I’ve never had one this old I don’t think, super cool, thanks for sharing.