Dark in color with a nice nose of dark berries. On the mid pallet the wine displays dark berries to match the nose along with some mocha. On the medium length finish the wine displays some smooth tannins and some nice dryness. It lingers and builds nicely in the mouth. A very nice wine given the price. I would give it an 88-89.
From the LCBO web site:
BERONIA RESERVA 2008 VINTAGES 50203 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 16.95
Limited Time Offer Was: $ 18.95 Now: $ 16.95 Save: $ 2.00 Until Feb 2, 2014
Made in: Rioja, Spain By: Gonzalez Byass & Co.
Release Date: Dec 7, 2013
14.0% Alcohol/Vol. Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity Varietal: Tempranillo Blend
Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry
Description
Awarded a Bronze Medal at the 2013 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Tasting Note
Rioja (REE-hoe-Ha!) is [in] a state of flux these days. You have a raft of producers sticking to their old ways, another raft (can you have 2 rafts?) modernizing and making wine in the international style, and outside the border, there’s a slew of new Spanish regions like Toro or Jumilla, which have consumers excited. But Beronia seems to skirt all these issues and make great wine at a good value year after year. They’re neither classic nor new, producing a wine that definitely has seen some oak but remains fresh and vibrant in the mouth. If you’re new to rioja, this is a great place to start – with the proviso that as you progress you’ll often run into more expensive bottles that aren’t quite as good. The 2005 vintage of this wine was sublime, but the current offering – 2008 – is also a winner. (Neal McLennan, westernlivingmagazine.com, March 26, 2013)
