96 Ramirez de la Piscina, Rioja Gran Reserva

I want to sit in some dank cafe, reading Proust with a tall carafe of this wine. It's remarkably pensive, reflective tempranillo, that totes delicacy and nuance alongside power. Light like Bourgogne, yet dark in its fruit like aging Bordeaux, the Piscina's generous with raisins and red plums. But after a few minutes, it picks up incredible spice--a wild aromatic much like blue cheese--that opens the door to more earthy flavors. The fruit then brightens, seductive with cherries and Gran Marnier. It's a coming-of-age caught in late-adolescence--a remembrance of how things past will affect the future.