turbo charged Rioja

M

Michael G. Hanchard

Michael G. Hanchard
2004 Ramirez de Ganuza Rioja Vinas Viejas, over several days.My first experience with both the wine and producer. I'm a huge fan of old school Rioja Gran Reserva, and opened this bottle with a combination of suspicion and curiosity. The high price, high scores and modern patina made me wonder if the wine was worth all the hype. (Its sibling gained a 100 point score somewhere along the way). Its color was certainly darker than any crianza Rioja I have ever had, old vines or not, oxblood and magenta hues. Red fruit scents vaguely reminiscent of Southern Rhone, with initial flavors that one could also identify/confuse with a Vacqueyras or Lirac; asphalt and dark cherry with a hint of hibiscus. A broad,not linear attack that enveloped the inside of my mouth, certainly a "big" almost New World profile. Initially clipped and truncated on the nose and finish. And then, after a couple of hours, underbrush, leather,sage and marjoram, savory flavors and scents, let me know that deep down, Rioja was calling , An odd--in a good way-- Rioja, both like and unlike any Rioja I have ever tried. Clearly not a Gran Reserva (the middle palate was still plump, without the streaks of leathery, oaky flavors) but then again more forceful and authoritative than any basic Rioja I had ever tasted. Just finished the last glass, four days after the initial pour.

Costly, but worth the trip.
 
Thanks for the note. I think I would actively dislike this wine: most of your note says that it tastes like S. Rhone (not Rioja), that it's clipped on entry and truncated on finish, that it's "big" (presumably that means lots of wood tannins and thick extract).

That the good material finally manages to claw its way out from under all that manipulation is cheerful news but hardly exculpatory.

A similar sort of report was made on an earlier vintage.
 
I've only had the '94 about a decade ago. I liked it but not enough to actively find more.

1994 Remírez de Ganuza If this wine wasn’t paired against the ’70 Ygay, it would have seemed far less internationally styled. Instead it was just very good. Ganuza in general is a great example of a meld between old and new styles in Rioja that actually works. Very nice dried floral/tobacco nose with lots of dark berry fruit flavor. This really should have been aired out for a couple of hours as it’s all a bit tight. Many years of life left in this wine.

Next day the wine hadn't budged.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Thanks for the note. I think I would actively dislike this wine: most of your note says that it tastes like S. Rhone (not Rioja), that it's clipped on entry and truncated on finish, that it's "big" (presumably that means lots of wood tannins and thick extract).

That the good material finally manages to claw its way out from under all that manipulation is cheerful news but hardly exculpatory.

A similar sort of report was made on an earlier vintage.
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I would concur. Truth be told, I much prefer Lopez de Heredia,older vintages of Montecillo Vina Monty, Marques de Murrieta, etc. than new fangled Rioja. So consider my note in that context. I'm not running out to buy any more Ramirez, especially at normally larcenous prices.
 
originally posted by Bill Buitenhuys:
I've only had the '94 about a decade ago. I liked it but not enough to actively find more.

1994 Remírez de Ganuza If this wine wasn’t paired against the ’70 Ygay, it would have seemed far less internationally styled. Instead it was just very good. Ganuza in general is a great example of a meld between old and new styles in Rioja that actually works. Very nice dried floral/tobacco nose with lots of dark berry fruit flavor. This really should have been aired out for a couple of hours as it’s all a bit tight. Many years of life left in this wine.

Next day the wine hadn't budged.
Click to expand...

Yes, but *which* 1994 de Ganuza did you have, Bill?
 
originally posted by .sasha:
Yes, but *which* 1994 de Ganuza did you have, Bill?
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If I remember correctly, there was no designation on the label. I thought they started adding GR on the label at some later date?
 
I just remember Victor saying at a dinner at Dougherty's, where we had the wine, that the wine we had here, tasted a lot different (worse) than the ones they had there. There was a lot of hype with that '94 and every time it showed up at a jeebus, we were left scratching our heads. It would be nice to try it again with twenty years on it now.

Sasha, remember the '95 we had at your place while watching a Yankee game? Blueberry juice!
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
I just remember Victor saying at a dinner at Dougherty's, where we had the wine, that the wine we had here, tasted a lot different (worse) than the ones they had there
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of course it did, since there were only 200 bottles made of the latter
 
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