2000 Spain
A successful vintage for most Spanish wine regions, although extreme temperature variations caused damage to many vineyards and resulted in lower than average yields especially in Northern Spain. In Rioja temperatures were very high throughout the summer and with very little rain. However, temperatures cooled down in late September and then there was some heavy rainfall at the end of the month. Overall the quality is high, with the wines having more depth of fruit and concentration than the 99s but falling short of the powerful and complex 98s. In Ribera del Duero a bitterly cold winter was followed by an extremely hot and dry summer. Yields were significantly lower than normal but the quality is extremely high. Pure, crisp and richly aromatic dry whites were produced in Rias Biaxas in north-west Spain.
The final yields were a parsimonious 20 hl/ha. The complicated ageing regime involved, as usual, various containers of differing shapes and sizes. By my calculations the wine had nearly seven years in vat ( including 2 years in small new barrels and 15 months in semi-new barrels) and then was held in bottle before release in 2009.
The rich crimson colour leads to a rich and spicy palate with generous black fruit, clove and pepper spice and a rich almost savoury finish. Javier and Pablo compare it to 1996, 1994, 1986 and 1970, all of which are drinking beautifully now in various stages of their evolution. An elegant and very successful vintage.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer) After a growing season which avoided the excesses sometimes associated with this region, and an October harvest under clear skies, expectations were certainly high. Not without justification, it transpires, a decade down the line. The usual encyclopaedic descriptors borrow widely from the gustatory canon and are complemented by an impressive structure, with balancing acidity and very precise and focused tannins both evidenced. The blend is 93% Tinto Fino and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon; the interplay of black fruits, truffles and spice is impressive indeed and will continue to impress for a very long time.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, May 2011)