Faustino Rioja Gran Reserva 2001
Dense, deep ruby coloured; also a very tight garnet rim. The first nose gives chocolate, and sweet notes of spices and cloves and the second fresh cherry with sandalwood, vanilla. The palate provides intense cherry fruit (both black and red), fresh strawberries with a ‘creamy’ texture that you can find in an excellent aged Rioja. The structure is well-integrated acid, and a light tannin kept it moreish and pleasant, while touches of dark chocolate, meaty and liquorice characters brought up the back palate.
There seems to have no reason whatsoever you should not buy this wine unless traditionally tertiary style of Rioja Gran Reserva is not your cup of tea.
Why?
Excellent bottle age and vintage(2001 a legendary vintage as 1982 or 2005 in Bordeaux)
fantastic scores(Decanter 97)
great price(Well, Haut Brion 2010 and Mouton 2010 selling hefty got the same Decanter 97
wine to keep(2001)
perfect provenance(frosted Burgundy style bottle with a label bearing a Rembrandt style portrait of a Spaniard and the bottle itself wrapped with a thin, twisted-gold-wire mesh)
and a Wine of the Year(2013) nod from one of the world’s greatest wine magazine Decanter,
being the top Gran Reserva from Fautino, with Roman numeral I( the middle range is V and the entry level VII).
Vivino tasters generally comment positively. Canadian tasters seem to say that the fruit is dropping and score 90 to 93 point level. Against all the odds, most tasters will agree that the wine gives tastes with some complexities, complexing, elegance, style, classicism and length and is still fresh in the way of Rioja.
Scores are impressive. The best is Decanter 97 as follows: 97 points and the Decanter Magazine Wine of the Year! Restrained, mineral style with elegant tannins.Youthful and fresh, feminine and complex. Deliciously decadent, with extraordinary vitality in the palate and a long, unique finish. A jewel at this price. – Decanter, January 2014
