1999 Masia Carreras- Spanish Red Wine, bought for $25 at Garnet Wines before our vinocellar dinner at Willow in NYC a couple of weeks ago at OJeffso's suggestion.
60% grenache, 20% carignan, 10% tempranillo,5% Cab, 5% Syrah.
Decanted at 4 pm and started drinking at 5 pm...
This is a great wine, big, lots of fruit, black cherry and both red and black licorice- a bit of alcohol that burns off into a nice finish that lingers. Jazin: 92 pts. The wine got even better w/ food.
This is only my 3rd Spanish wine, tried Numanthia(Jazin-93-94) and Castano Solanera(Jazin- 88-89)... so far we are really liking these Spanish wines!
Thanks OJEFFSO- we are so glad we listened! (and glad we bought 2 of these, so we have one left)

jazin, a question about your comment about the Numanthia. I see you scored it 93-94. That wasn't based on the tasting we had at The Wainwright Inn, was it? The '00 Numanthia we had there had just been opened and was incredibly closed, I thought.

May be a coincidence. But, so far, I also find that I like Spanish Wines with Food. And, I am also very impressed with the Spanish Wines.

i drank this wine a few nights ago. i opened, and decanted about 30 minutes prior to drinking. i noticed it really began to open up at about 90 minutes. paid $22.50

dark ruby purple. a big lovely nose of raw meats, cherries, earth and spices. full bodied dark fruit flavors with a long licorice and chocolate finish. excellent complexity and balance. plenty of tannins to suggest this wine will go for another 8-10 years. this reminded me of a more open and smaller scaled numanthia. me93

btw, parker gave this wine a 93 and said it was a dead ringer for a chateauneuf du pape from henri bonneau or domaine pegau.

board-o-to really appreciate the numanthia, it needs at least 2-3 hours of decanting. i rated it at 95+

There is an increasing number of second labels as outlet for young vines being planted, but in the $20-35 neighborhood the Empordá area (where this Masía Carreras comes from) has some of the best Spanish reds for the money. The Priorat effect (it's not THAT close geographically, but mineral notes all over and old vines of Mediterranean varieties make this connection almost a knee jerk) will pull prices up, but meanwhile try:

MASÍA SERRA (Gneis)
CASTILLO DE PERELADA (Finca Malaveïna, Gran Claustro, ExEx1, ExEx2)
OLIVER CONTI

I think that Num Toro needs @ least 4-5 hours (if drinking now) or 2-3 years.

purchased this based on ojeffso. popped one last week during my all day long drinking safari. no real notes, but then again i never take any notes , WOW is all i can say. i called mudpuppy and ordered all he had left. parker gave ity 93 and i completely agree with him.

Thanks to Jazin I have already had a taste of this and loved it while dining at Tre Vigne during RawRed's going away to London dinner.

Thanks to ojeffso, I have four bottles of this.

Just opened one entirely crappy portugal wine, and one barely makes 80 points spanish wine, so I had to open SOMETHING I could really get along with....

Well this SOMETHING really fits the bill!!!

Ruby/Brick red in color. Chocoately mint nose with lots of dark fruits.
On the palate is noticeable alcohol but isn't too distracting.... Lots of chocolate, mint, cherry, toast, and earth, hits you all at once. Wonderfully complex. This wine has a greatswish factor. Dark chocolate finish with a nice lingering aftertaste. I'll jump on the 93 pt bandwagon... this deserves it. The smooth tannins are abundant... I'll wait two years before the next bottle.

Agree with ojeffso's decanting time as well.

i know what you mean rev. i opened one the other day and i am so happy i have 5 more left to go. i won't touch any more for awhile.

I'm glad I put half in one of my half bottles and corked it for tomorrow's pleasure... :-)

Aiez, *high-5*

AI...

Are you going to touch any late in October???

maybe. this might be a good one for friday night dinner. but it is up to you. you have the link for my cellar and i will bring whatever you want me to, except for my 00 pavie. that is being saved for my 20 anniversary, that is if i have one

REV- the wine at RawReds dinner that you liked was the Abadia Reutera-...I picked you up 3 bottles @22 ea. if you want them!

I really liked that one too!!! But.... which dinner did you bring the Masia Carreras to? I know you did bring it to a dinner.... but... I guess I don't remember which one?

I might have brought the Massia Carreras to Limestone? ... it was a while ago... sorry, I can't remember.
I preferred the Abadia Reutera slightly. Both were Ojeffso's great rec's.

rev-i brought the masia carreras to the dinner at il mundo vechio with gigi.

I remember that one.... I could still swear jazin brought one to the RawRed dinner. *shrug*

The RawReds dinner at Tra Vigne was definately Abadia Reutera.

Yea.. I thought you brought two bottles........

ah well.. I'm going senile already... I must not be drinking enough wine!!!!!!!