Two of the nicer things I received last week:
- Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva 2001
- WSET Advanced Certificate
I already blogged about my WSET exam so I'll share my notes on the wine instead (needless to say I'm very proud of my result and will be pursuing the Diploma with similar fervour!)
Made only in the very best vintages, the 2001 Gran Reserva from Rioja's famous Marqués de Cáceres spent a substantial 28 months in French oak before a further 4 years bottle ageing deemed it suitable for release - 10 years (possibly to the day) since vintage and it certainly showed no signs of slowing.
Deep garnet in the glass, browning towards the rim and fairly syrupy legs left little to the imagination regarding the life of this wine so far.
A good swirl around the glass (note that even after decanting it took a good hour or two to really open up) produced surprisingly lively and deeply layered aromas of redcurrants, black cherry jam and warm fruit compote - all wound up in comforting vanilla, clove and cinnamon spice. A lovely delicate whiff of leather in there too.
The palate started out dry, with noticeably fresh acidity and smooth but grippy tannins. Red fruit again, this time complimented by wood smoke and liquorice. A subtle savoury element balanced the slightly sweetened fruit character to perfection. The flavour develops well and finishes on a warm vanilla, spicy and mature note.
All in all, an experience not dissimilar to sinking into your favourite armchair on a blustery autumn Sunday evening, while warm candle-lit jazz sets the tone and a comforting sense of self-satisfaction plays gently on your sleepy mind...
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