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Tasting notes
The 2012 Aalto PS was cropped from a warm, ripe vintage when the grapes were very healthy. This cuvée of selected old vineyards is always matured in new French oak barrels for some 22-24 months. It's still a baby full of aromas of sweet spices, cinnamon and vanilla, also cloves and black peppercorns over the core of ripe plums, black cherries and a smoky, still oaky character. It has sweeter tannins and it is more accessible right now than the 2013 PS because it is rounder and fleshier. But in the long run the 2013 should age longer. This is a style that is very popular, ripe, showy and generously oaked. 20,000 bottles produced.
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Tempranillo coming from very old vines (60 to 100 years old). PS (Pagos Seleccionados) is a selection of best vineyards from three different villages: La Horra situated at 800 m with clay-gravelly soils, La Aguilera at 800 m with calcareous-sandy and Fresnillo at 850 m with very sandy soils. Limited 3,000 kg/ha yield. Fermented in both stainless steel and large oak vats. Wild fermentation. Malolactic and ageing during 22 months in new French oak barrels. Remarkably concentrated and complex, creamy, spicy, minty and full of fleshy fruit. Ripe and dense fruit character. Rich and full structure but perfectly suited to taste. Superbly charged with ripe black fruit and great potential ahead. Great bottle of wine ending with savouriness and chocolate flavours. Completely meeting the expectation of such an iconic brand. (FC)
Dark cherry colour. Intense dark-cherry fruit. Some char aroma and more char on the palate. So dark it is almost bitter. Like 70% chocolate. The tannins are fine and powdery. Dark and dry and elegant. Dark power too. (JH)
Exotic, showy new oak on the nose and palate. Very firm tannic structure, giving quite an astringent finish. Has the substance to age, so should be left well alone for a decade, I'd estimate. (RH)