This is the third time I've had the El Puntido over two years. The first time I was absolutely enamored with it. It was complex, evolved in the glass as we discussed it, charmed me completely. At the time it was one of the most expensive wines I put in my cellar, and I bought a few bottles as it was one of the best wines from Spain I had ever tasted. Wine Enthusiast agreed with a 96, Wine Advocate did too, with a 94, and even said it would go to 2025 and continue to evolve.
I opened another bottle on my 40th birthday last year. I still liked it, but I thought perhaps it had entered a closed period as it wasn't as complex, didn't evolve in the glass, and the aromatics weren't as strong (and they were opulent before!). So, I left the next bottle in the cellar (where it still is today) thinking I'd open it in a year or two.
Fortunately a friend opened one and I got to try it again. I still like it. It's dark red, opaque, what I expect from a Rioja. But, it's still simple. When I had it the first time it had been decanted for an hour and a half. The second time it wasn't decanted, but various glasses stayed in the glass for 15 minutes to an hour to see what would happen. The third time it had been decanted an hour.
It's about $65, but I now find myself like Cenit Tempranillo better for about half the price. Tasted December, 2009.
I opened another bottle on my 40th birthday last year. I still liked it, but I thought perhaps it had entered a closed period as it wasn't as complex, didn't evolve in the glass, and the aromatics weren't as strong (and they were opulent before!). So, I left the next bottle in the cellar (where it still is today) thinking I'd open it in a year or two.
Fortunately a friend opened one and I got to try it again. I still like it. It's dark red, opaque, what I expect from a Rioja. But, it's still simple. When I had it the first time it had been decanted for an hour and a half. The second time it wasn't decanted, but various glasses stayed in the glass for 15 minutes to an hour to see what would happen. The third time it had been decanted an hour.
It's about $65, but I now find myself like Cenit Tempranillo better for about half the price. Tasted December, 2009.
