La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva 2005

Cherry liqueur, vanilla, mocha and cured tobacco open the nose, with spice cake and a drifting potpourri note emerging as it breathes. Sweet cherry-cola and lavender give way to smoky minerals and a trace of candied licorice on the mid-palate. Fine-grained tannins sit quietly beneath, letting the fruit and warm spice drive through to a long, focused finish. A beautifully composed 904, still with plenty of road ahead.