3/2002. Bought Apr-01 for $37.
Alejandro Fernandez is one of Spain's most highly regarded modern winemakers. Made from choice old Tempranillo grapes in Ribera del Duoro, Pesquera 'Reserva' is aged for two years in oak barriques.
We had this wine to accompany the main dishes of this year's Seder (Passover Dinner).
COLOR: Dark ruby. Slight clearing around the rim. Some sediment.
NOSE: Very deep and concentrated ripe black fruit. But even deeper and overpowering smoked wood notes that are dominant. Impressive nose but (for me at least) not in the positive sense of the word.
TASTE: Huge wine on the palate. Plenty of forward ripe fruit flavors and not lacking in winyness. But here again, oak is much too dominant. A hefty complex wine, with plenty of character, but definitely lacking in charm.
LENGTH: Medium oak-laden aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: A brute wine, but not in the American fruit bomb style. Concentrated and expressive, perhaps too much so. Toasted oak is all over here. From nose to taste to aftertaste. The wine is pretty forward by now. But it lacks charm and balance.
OVERALL: Very good but not more.

MARK: 17/20.

BUY MORE? No.

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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.