La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Especial Reserva 1998

Pale ruby with an orange edge that announces its age honestly. Dried strawberry, brambly cherry, mocha and tobacco on the nose, with a dusty, earthy quality running underneath. More grip than the gentle first impression lets on, spiced and juicy through the mid-palate before settling into a smooth, velvety finish carried by fine-grained tannins. Graceful, food-friendly Rioja that's drinking well now.