The 2005 Coleccion Privada comes from two 50-year-old vineyards. The wine was barrel-fermented and aged for 18 months in new French and American oak. Made in a more international style, the wine is opaque purple with aromas of toasty new oak, pencil lead, espresso, blackberry, and licorice. This leads to a full-bodied, layered Rioja with lots of spicy black fruits, a hint of chocolate, and enough ripe tannin to support 5-7 years of evolution in the cellar. The lengthy, pure finish suggests that this wine will have a bright future. It should be at its best between 2015 and 2025. Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates From Spain; tel. (781) 461-5767

High-toasted oak aromas, jammy fruit underneath. Pure fruit, sweetly ripe; tannins controlled to a savoury echo. Well made.

Like all young Sierra Cantabria wines made from old vines, this has a purple color that’s supported by aromas of coffee, mocha and black fruits. It’s half aged in American oak (the other half is French), and it’s much more tannic, acidic and structured than the fleshy 2003. A wine with pure flavors and a dynamic structure. Just under 1,000 cases made. Imported by Tempranillo, Inc.——M.S.(9/1/2007)—— 92