El Nido Clio 2004 (Jumilla, Spain)

Opaque red/purple.

Nose of high-quality, toasty oak. Deep nut liqueur.

Broad, creamy palate impression. Altogether different from the 2002. The better vintage doesn't explain the difference entirely. Ringland has refined the whole enchilada. Better barrels, fruit selection etc. Seamless, very New World in style, but has a backbone that will reward many years in the bottle.

Funny, though, I still get an overload of alcohol (and I'm not one to quibble on this subject).

What a great contrast - a bottle of Bastide Blanche Bandol and this. Only politics could be more divisive.

70% Monastrell/ 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

$36