2003 Numanthia Numanthia

Deep ruby. Brooding, imploded nose features dark fruits with inky notes of licorice root, espresso, soy and tobacco. Seriously structured, chewy wine, packed with dense, sweet cherry and dark berry fruit and mineral tones. Finishes on a deep note of cherry liqueur, the firm, broad tannins adding to the impression of power. Very impressive.

The 2003 Numanthia was fashioned from yields of one ton of fruit per acre (from a clone of Tempranillo that often has the highest polyphenols of any Tempranillo clone). This cuvee is made from 70- to 100-year-old vines planted at a 2,300 foot elevation, which no doubt accounts for the freshness in this massively rich, intense red. A vivid, intense nose of espresso roast, pain grille, sweet black cherries, and creme de cassis is followed by a full-bodied, intensely-concentrated, rich, well-delineated, moderately structured, pure red that can be drunk young or cellared for a decade.