Bodegas Luzon Mourvedre Blend Jumilla Altos de Luzón 2000

The seriously endowed 2004 Altos de Luzon is a blend of 50% old vine Mourvedre (52 years) and equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, aged 12 months in a combination of French and American oak. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by beautiful aromas of smoky licorice, black currants, cherries, and earth. Offering wonderful ripeness, an alluring texture, sweet tannin, and adequate acidity, it certainly over-delivers for its price. Drink it over the next 2-4 years.

Ruby-red. Powerful, strongly oak-influenced aromas of vanilla and baking spices, with notes of ripe blackberry, candied plum and boysenberry. Lush, sweet and plump, the dark berry flavors deeply tinged by vanilla, cinnamon and clove accents. Finishes on a dark berry liqueur note, with subtle tannins and very good length. Definitely for fans of the oaky type, who will love it.

The 2000 Altos de Luzon (a blend of 50% Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Tempranillo) reveals an interesting bouquet of coconut, chocolate, espresso, and sweet black cherry fruit. It enjoyed malolactic fermentation and ten months of aging in both French and American oak. The wine is medium-bodied, with plenty of new oak, soft, ripe tannin, and decent acidity. It requires consumption over the next 3-4 years.

This plush red delivers ripe, sweet blackberry and kirsch flavors backed by chocolate and cola from oak, with appealing earthy accents. The tannins are well-integrated, the structured balanced. Drink now through 2011.

A thick, velvety texture carries rich, sweet flavors of vanilla, blackberry and lilac in this ripe, pure, rather monolithic red. Drink now through 2010.

Dark red. Suave, oak-spiced cherry and cassis on the nose, with a gentle vanilla undertone. Sweet dark fruit flavors are round and supple, with soft tannins building on the back. Picks up a spicy quality on the long, juicy finish. The fruit and oak work very well together.

The 2005 Altos de Luzon is 50% old-vine Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Tempranillo (not commonly seen in Jumilla). It was barrel fermented in new French and American oak where it remained for 12 months. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up an enticing perfume of mineral, garrigue, blueberry, and blackberry. Layered and ripe with enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years, this pleasing effort can be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years.