2002 Astrales, Ribera del Duero

[TheEngineer]

100% tempranillo, aged 17 months in barrels and botled in September 2004....(all this on the back of the bottle...and I thought Germans were straight forward....)

This wine generally is not the type I like but it worked well tonight. Big dark fruit with LOTS of wood up front and some tobacco in between. This is a concentrated wine that let up just a bit at the end where there was some acidity and some smooth tannins and just a tiny bit of an alcohol kick at end. The later seemed to have resolved with time.

Nice bottle. Big bottle but perfect for tonights dinner.....1/2 rustic bagette, 1/4 hard salami, 50g each of Artistnal Manchego, Brie, Parmasiano Reggiano, Chicken liver pate with truffles. $45 by the bottle and I will look for this again.