2003 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha

[dananne]

After reading Mark's take on the '05s, I've been patiently waiting to find it down here. Anne and I had the '05 Vinas Viejas (old vines) on Friday night as a second bottle, following a tasty '97 Stags Leap Petite Sirah. Deep, tongue-and-teeth-staining purple in color, with aromas of dark fruits, chocolate, and brambly earth. Huge, just enormous fruit flavors that just coated the mouth. While it's a bit like a gigantic Aussie fruit bomb at this stage, there are some tannins to hold it together, as well as an earthy minerality that I fail to get in the Aussie stuff. Chocolate and spices on the finish. Just scrumptious. Waaaaaay more fun than one would expect from a $14 wine purchased from the local Kroger, and the tannins suggest that this one will certainly cellar in the near-term. Much better than the '03 (which continue to fall apart, perhaps from the hot vintage producing overripe fruit), and I'll have to open one of my leftover '01s to see how it compares to one of my all-time faves for QPR. Certainly, it's a "buy again" wine, and Anne has dictated a case purchase. She absolutely loved it. 14.5% alc. Again, yum.