Rug Vino "Exopto" Rioja 2005

Purple.

Great, deep, oak spice, fig/prune/date, earth nose. Not at all baked - just deep and a bit reticent.

Round and simultaneously sweet and taut. Tanzer's "painful" intensity. Tightly wound from the mid-palate on, but there's some serious concentration here. A bit grapy at the moment. Very interesting take on Rioja.

Day 4 - Deep, spicy/peppery black fruit flavors now. Still intense/taut. Major acid-driven tannin in the finish. Reminds me a bit of the deep black fruit and strong structure of dry reds from the Douro. Many years needed here.

$60, 60% Graciano, 30% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha