Wine: Frank Gehry Selection 2001
Winery: Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, Álava)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14% vol.
Winery: Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, Álava)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14% vol.
Winemaking:
A meticulous selection of Tempranillo grapes from a plot north of Elciego with vines over 40 years old. Manual harvest conducted on October 22nd, followed by a secondary sorting at the winery. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks for 5 days at a maximum temperature of 29°C. Total maceration lasted 14 days before devatting on November 8th. The wine matured for 22 months in new 225-liter American oak barrels and was bottled in January 2004. It rested in the winery's underground cellars until its commercial release in October 2006.
A meticulous selection of Tempranillo grapes from a plot north of Elciego with vines over 40 years old. Manual harvest conducted on October 22nd, followed by a secondary sorting at the winery. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks for 5 days at a maximum temperature of 29°C. Total maceration lasted 14 days before devatting on November 8th. The wine matured for 22 months in new 225-liter American oak barrels and was bottled in January 2004. It rested in the winery's underground cellars until its commercial release in October 2006.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Garnet-cherry color with high depth; dark, impenetrable, and showing
remarkably little evolution despite the years. Reddish reflections, low
brilliance, and opaque. High viscosity with a glyceric sensation. Broad
orange rim, sharply defined against the meniscus.
Nose:
Powerful and high-tonnage; spicy and balsamic. It delivers an
immediate, almost frantic array of aromas, highlighting black fruit
compote, India ink, licorice, and intense roasted notes (tar,
fireplace). While the quality of the components is evident, the ensemble
lacks smoothness. It remains static, in a continuous state of olfactory
"fireworks," catering to lovers of forceful reds.
Palate:
Overripe on the palate, with significant volume and a sense of profound
extraction that overwhelms all other nuances. Warm, concentrated, and
heavy. It appears to have lost the muscle of its youth, transitioning
into a broader, more sedentary profile. Ripe, sweet, and fatty tannins
are accompanied by a spicy, balsamic background. Fortunately, a remnant
of acidity provides a necessary spark of life amidst the landslide of
toasted notes.
Commentary:
A wine of pure excess and megalomania; the Frank Gehry name is perfectly fitting for its architectural pretension. This Selection feels out of step with Riscal’s more balanced and less pretentious masterpieces. It is a sonorous and weighty red that likely represents a stylistic dead end for the winery.
A wine of pure excess and megalomania; the Frank Gehry name is perfectly fitting for its architectural pretension. This Selection feels out of step with Riscal’s more balanced and less pretentious masterpieces. It is a sonorous and weighty red that likely represents a stylistic dead end for the winery.
Personal Score: 87
Tasting Group Average: 90
Tasting Group Average: 90
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