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2005 Benjamin Romeo La Cueva Del Contador

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Latest Sale Price

June 20, 2021 - $96

Estimate

RATINGS

97The Wine Advocate

...perfume of smoky new oak, crushed stone, truffle, espresso, and assorted black fruits. This leads to an opulent wine with gobs of sweet fruit, incipient complexity, superb richness and texture, and a very long, pure finish.

95Vinous / IWC

Strikingly complex nose evokes blackberry, cassis, cherry compote, candied licorice, vanilla and incense. Juicy dark berry preserve flavors stain the palate and are enlivened by suave minerality.

17.5+ Jancis Robinson

Subtle aromas of the vineyard: thyme, rosemary and lavender. Subtle spice followed by seriously dark fruit on the palate.

REGION

Spain, Rioja

Rioja Demoninación de Origine Calificada is Spain’s most important wine region. Located in northern Spain, it comprises 135,000 vineyard acres and was the first official appellation in Spain, earning its official DO status in 1926. In 1991 it became Spain’s first DOCa, Spain’s most prestigious appellation category. The DOCa is divided into three subzones: La Rioja Alavesa in the northeast; La Rioja Alta in the southwest; and La Rioja Baja in the east. About 75 percent of Rioja wines are reds, with Tempranillo the predominant grape. Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, a spicy, high-acidity red grape, are also allowed. White wines are made from Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasia. Wines were made in this region well before the Romans arrived, though the Romans then the medieval monks refined vineyard management and wine production. In the 19th century French families migrated to Rioja after phylloxera wiped out their vineyards, and the French helped establish the tradition of wine blends, still part of Rioja winemaking. According to the rules for the appellation, a wine labelled a simple Rioja can spend less than a year in an oak aging barrel. A Criziana is aged for at least two years, one in oak. Rioja Reserva is aged at least three years, with at least one in oak. A Rioja Gran Reserva must be aged at least five years, with two years in oak.