A very good, traditional-style wine but one with limitations given its price point. For beginners, the nose is only mildly expressive: cola, modest berry aromas and oak are what you get. And in the mouth, oak is quite dominant, almost to the point of overshadowing the Tempranillo fruit. As a whole it’s balanced, healthy and sturdy. But three years of oak aging has left a resiny imprint and a desire for cleaner, more expressive fruit flavors.——M.S.(6/1/2008)—— 88