This was my first taste of Baron de Ley (I wonder why so many of these Spanish wines have French-sounding names), and I'm wondering if the bottle was "off" or if the wine is just plain bad.
Takashi Tanemura (in the yellow shirt, above) brought it and wasn't familiar with it, so the quality issue is still a bit of a mystery. There was an essence of nail polish, an astringent taste, that wasn't overwhelming (in the way full blown TCA can take over a wine) but very noticeable to the point that it couldn't be ignored. Most of the barrels used in Rioja are American oak, and the vanilla taste they imparted combined with the off-flavors and hot alcohol in a nasty way...
$20; 82 points (possibly spoiled)
Bottom Line: I need to taste another bottle to be sure.
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