2005 Solanera Vinas Viejas

Even at the 18 bucks I paid for this, it's one of the QPR wines of the year... The 2005 Bodegas Castaño Yecla Solanera offers outstanding aromatics of blueberry, scorched earth, mineral, pipe tobacco and mushrooms show up on the nose and the palate builds from there. Medium to full bodied with sweet fruit; this has surprisingly levels of richness and shows enough structure underneath the fruit to bode well for some positive evolution. It finishes well and overall, is a fantastic wine that blends the expected ripe fruit with some real structure, poise and depth.

No tasting note was given.

(65% monastrell, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 15% tintorera) Saturated purple. Smoky raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a sexy mocha quality adding complexity. Fleshy, round dark fruit liqueur flavors caress rather than pummel the palate. Gentle tannins arrive late to add structure but this is all about silky, juicy fruit.