Spain

90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar-"Saturated red. Mineral-inflected cherry and red berry aromas are complicated by black tea, licorice and cracked pepper. Juicy, incisive red and dark fruit flavors are braced by zesty acidity and pick up a touch of violet with air. Oak spice and floral notes emerge on the sweet, focused finish. Complex now, but this will age on its balance.

92 points The Wine Advocate:The 2008 Les Terrasses Vinyes Velles is the same blend as the Camins cuvee but is aged for 12 months in 20% new French oak. It offers greater complexity both aromatically and on the palate. Smoothly-textured, intense, plush, and spicy, it opens up nicely in the glass with floral (lavender), mineral, pepper, and black cherry notes reappearing in the robust finish. Jay Miller

90 points The Wine Advocate:The 2006 Crianza is 90% Tempranillo and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot aged in French and American oak for 15 months. It offers up a fragrant nose of cedar, leather, lavender, mineral, and blackberry. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ample spicy, savory fruit, ripe tannin, and excellent balance. It will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well from 2011 to 2021. Jay Miller

92 points The Wine Advocate:The 2004 Reserva 7 Vinas is a worthy successor to the 2001 reviewed in Issue 183. It is a blend of 55% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, and 15% Garnacha, with the balance Mazuelo, Malvasia, White Garnacha, and Viura. The wine was aged in oak for 3 years, American for the Garnacha and French for the rest. The final blend was then aged in a 10,000-liter foudre for an additional 18 months. Dark ruby-colored, it displays classic Rioja aromas of cedar, damp earth, leather, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, ripe, and concentrated, this lengthy effort has the structure to evolve for 3-4 years. It can be enjoyed now but will still be singing through at least 2024. Jay Miller

89 points The Wine Advocate:Bodegas Berroja’s pale straw-colored 2010 Berroia is a blend of 85% Hondarribi Zuri with the balance Riesling and Folle Blanche. This enticing effort receives a nice aromatic lift from its Riesling component along with floral, mineral, green apple, and saline notes. Crisp, savory, and well-balanced, this value priced effort is meant for drinking over the next 12-18 months.

88 points The Wine Advocate:The entry-level 2010 Fefinanes was fermented and aged in stainless steel. Mineral, melon, and lemon zest inform the nose of this crisp, vibrant, savory offering. This well-balanced effort will drink nicely for another 2-3 years. Jay Miller

92 points The Wine Advocate:The 2009 Brozal was sourced from a biodynamically farmed vineyard and is a field blend of 80% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 10% Garnacha. It was fermented and macerated in a custom-made tank made of 50% oak and 50% stainless steel crafted by winemaker David Sampedro. Alcoholic fermentation was with native yeasts, malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel, and aging took place in various sized barrels, 50% new, for 10 months. A glass-coating opaque purple color, the wine displays a super-fragrant bouquet of minerals, violets, Asian spices, tobacco, a hint of balsamic, and assorted black fruits. This is followed by a sweetly-fruited, layered, succulent wine with plenty of underlying fine-grained tannin. Give it 5-6 years to fully blossom and enjoy it from 2015 to 2029. Jay Miller

93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Dark red with a pale rim. Pungent, spicy nose shows pure cherry, redcurrant and plum complemented by succulent herbs, vanillin oak spice and a hint of dried flowers. Supple, lush and deep, with sweet red fruit flavors framed by gentle, harmonious tannins. Fleshy and sweet on the back end, with impressive concentration and focus. This should age well."

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:"Medium red. Captivating aromas of redcurrant, candied cherry, rhubarb, vanilla bean, cured tobacco, cedar, mocha and dried flowers. An elegant, suave midweight with wonderfully sweet, mellow red fruit flavors and an array of exotic spice accents. The supple, persistent finish features lingering cherry and red berry flavors."