Faustino 1 Gran Reserve 2011
Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo are the three classic Rioja grape varieties. Graciano provides a festive colour and high acidity; Mazuelo flavour, abundant tannin, and Tempranillo are the perfect coupage for long-
- ageing wines. True to Rioja, true to its origins. Cherry red develops into an intense ruby colour. Intense and complex. Well-integrated sweet and warm hints with ripe fruit, notes of vanilla and sensations of cinnamon, blond tobacco and cocoa.
Elegant in the mouth, structured and with good acidity. The finish is sweet and surprising for a Rioja Gran Reserva. There is an aftertaste of the blend of very ripe fruit, vanilla and roasted notes.
Excellent bottle age and vintage(2011 is a reasonably good vintage in Rioja, re Decanter)
fantastic scores at 94/93 points level(Guia Penin, JS, WE, Decanter)
2011 is a wine to keep(J Robinson)
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)
being the top Gran Reserva from Faustino, with the 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 not dropping. 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.
