Puntuacion Parker

Puntuacion Mr. Parker

Crianza Ramirez de la Piscina	Año 1994, 86 puntos Opinion: An excellent value, this wine, made from 100% Tempranillo, and aged in small American oak barrels, offers an attractive smoky, gravelly, red currant-scented nose, sweet, ripe fruit, medium body, and a clean, vibrant, refreshing finish. It is not a big wine, but it is a soft, fruit-driven offering for drinking over the next 2-3 years.
	Año 1995, 87 puntos Opinion: Another outstanding value from Spain, this 100% Tempranillo, aged in American oak barrels, displays a dark ruby color, and a moderately intense, spicy, cedary, cherry, and berry-scented nose, with pepper in the background (reminiscent of Zinfandel?). It is an elegantly-styled Rioja, with medium body, pure fruit, subtle oak, and fine ripeness, as well as impressive equilibrium and harmony among its elements. This round, appealing wine should be drunk over the next 2-4 years.
	Año 1999, 87 puntos Opinion: Readers looking for a complex, evolved, traditionally-styled Rioja filled with fruit should check out this elegant, flavorful, light to medium-bodied 1999. Made from 100% Tempranillo aged one year in American oak, it offers a fragrant perfume of cedar, sandalwood, tobacco leaf, and sweet berry, strawberry, and cherry fruit. Elegant and round, with medium body as well as loads of finesse, it should be enjoyed over the next 2-3 years. An excellent value.
Reserva Ramirez de la Piscina	Año 2004, 91 puntos Opinion: The 2004 Ramirez de la Piscina Reserva was aged in French and American oak for 18 months. Purple-colored with an attractive nose of mineral, leather, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry, on the palate it displays an elegant personality, savory fruit, and some underlying structure. This traditionally-styled effort should evolve for another 2-3 years; it reflects the greatness of the 2004 vintage in Rioja and is a sensational value.
	Año 1999, 88 puntos Opinion: The 1999 Ramirez de la Piscina Reserva (100% Tempranillo) reveals considerable amber at the edge. It is an evolved, soft, round, nuanced effort displaying sweet strawberry and cherry fruit along with smoky tobacco leaf, incense, and earthy characteristics. It is best consumed over the next 3-4 years, although its beautiful balance suggests it may last longer.
	Año 2000, 89 points Opinion: Bodegas Ramirez makes elegant, traditionally-styled Riojas. The 2000 Ramirez de la Piscina Reserva is a light to medium ruby with a lovely bouquet of cedar, spice, tobacco, and red fruits. On the palate the wine is supple and sweet with no hard edges. It flows smoothly into a long and graceful finish. Drink it over the next 2-4 years.
Gran Reserva Ramirez de la Piscina	Año 2001, 92 puntos Opinion: The 2001 Ramirez de la Piscina Gran Reserva is from another great year. It was aged for 1 year in tank followed by 2 years in barrel. Dark ruby-colored, it proffers a compelling perfume of Asian spices, violets, incense, and secondary fruit aromas from the extended bottle aging. Silky-textured, elegant, and filled with finesse, it still has enough concentration and structure to improve for another 1-2 years. In the scheme of things, it, too, is a terrific value.
	Año 1996, 90 puntos Opinion: The 1996 Ramirez de la Piscina Gran Reserva (100% Tempranillo) offers complex aromatics of fresh mushrooms, burning embers, sweet strawberries and cherries, cedar, and rose petals. Open-knit, fleshy, and sweet, with a distinctive floral component, this lovely, traditionally made Rioja can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-6 years.
	Año 1998, 91 puntos Opinion: Bodegas Ramirez makes elegant, traditionally-styled Riojas. The 1998 Gran Reserva is in the house-style with a medium ruby color, and a delicate, pretty perfume of earth, cedar, cinnamon, and candied red fruits. On the palate the wine is seamless and velvety. Elegantly styled, its concentration and length belie its fragile appearance. In fact, there appears to be enough structure for this wine to drink well for another 6-8 years.