2001 Aalto PS Pagos Selecciónados

(the estate's top cuvee, from vineyards over 60 years of age) Bright ruby. Vibrant aromas of blackberry and violet. Juicy and firm-edged, with sharply focused if youthfully unevolved flavors of dark berries, minerals and graphite complemented but not overpowered by sexy new oak. This shows terrific verve and lift. Finishes with huge, toothcoating, oak-powered tannins, strong minerality, and outstanding length. This really calls for five or six years of patience. Aalto is Mariano Garcia's first Ribera del Duero project since leaving Vega Sicilia.

Not surprisingly, in a vintage that afforded great raw materials, the 2001 PS is out of this world. Smoke, graphite, blackberry liqueur, blueberries, violets, and spicy oak jump from the glass of this inky/purple-colored 2001. Texturally and color-wise, it is reminiscent of dry vintage port. With terrific purity and a full-bodied, rich palate that offers multiple dimensions, there is a seamlessness to this wine even though it remains young and unevolved. I would recommend another 1-2 years of cellaring (as hard as that may be), and consuming it over the following 10-12 years. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565