88 1999 Luna Beberide Reserva Tierra de Castillo y Leon (Bierzo) 6/5/09 ($23)
34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 33% Tempranillo, 13.5% alc
Color: Deep garnet with some clearing, but not much onion skin. (3.0) Bouquet: Cigarbox, black pepper and sweet cassis with lively acidity and a nuance of sweet basil. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight with very good acidity, tannin and fruit. A bit too much oak adds some bitterness and could coat the mouth a little more. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but less fruit. Also shows bitterness from oak and chalky tannin/acidity. (2.5) Finish: Parallels flavor, has length and some richness, but again could have sweeter, bigger fruit. (2.5)
Overall: A tasty, mature Bordeaux blend, drinking like a Cab/Cab.Franc heavy St. Emilion. Sweet and rich with cassis fruit lifted by very good acidity with black pepper tannins. Oak complements, but is slightly overdone. Still very enjoyable. (14.0)