90 2007 Pétalos Bierzo (Descendientes de J. Palacios) 4/11/09 ($21)
14% alc
Color: Deep purple raspberry. (3.0) Bouquet: Tropical fruit cocktail of papaya and guava combined with black cherry, supported by acidity and a kiss of oak. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight showing an excellent balance of fruit to acidity with just enough oak and tannin. Silky mouthfeel. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with a racy streak propelling the fruit that is very reminiscent of fine Pinot Noir. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but fruit could be more prominent here. Needs a little time to open. (3.0)
Overall: An excellent follow up to the '06. Maybe a little young, as not as open as the '06. Still has the same distinctive, Pinot Noir-like personality combined with a red tropical fruit component that reminds you that it's Mencia. This last component is more prevalent in the '07 than the '06. I'll give the edge to the '06 at present, but this should become even more interesting in the next 1-3 years. (15.0)