2003 Solanera Vinas Viejas
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Tasting notes
(a blend of 70% monastrell, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 10% garnacha made for the U.S. market) Ruby-red. Perfumed aromas of blackberry, licorice and minerals. Dense, sweet and creamy, with blackberry fruit flavor complicated by chocolate and sexy French oak. Very generously flavored wine, finishing with broad tannins. An exceptional value.
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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This is a custom cuvee made for American importer Eric Solomon, so the wine sold in other markets will be different blends and/or selections. There are 12,000 cases of the brilliant 2003 Solanera, a beautiful blend of 75% Mourvedre and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by a smoky, scorched earth-scented nose displaying notions of black cherry jam, licorice, and truffles. Ripe and medium to full-bodied, with wonderful sweetness (from glycerin and dry extract), it possesses purity, suppleness, and balance. It is another example of why Spain is beating virtually every other viticultural area in the world when it comes to high quality wines that sell for a song. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565