(August 15, 2014) … After my experimentation with Leopard Frog and Railroad Red I felt the need to pop a few more, hopefully more enjoyable, corks. So I grab from my cellar a couple of perennial favorites, but also older vintages, from Spain’s Bodegas Castano. I kicked it off with a 2007 La Casona, the inexpensive (~$14) Monastrell blend … And what a beauty. From the get go black fruit screamed out of the glass both on the nose and palate, it just kept coming in waves: blackberry, cassis, black cherry all wrapped in white pepper and all melding together beautifully. What a treat. Then I moved on to the even older, but more expensive 2005 Hecula … This time a Monastrell on its own, with no back up grapes – or so it says. This one showed a little more its age but still had elegance and class, dried blackberry and anise with smoky-oaky notes and a fuzzy finish. Acidity is really good and just the right amount with lovely cassis notes on the finish. I have more of the Casona in the cellar but that was the last bottle of the 2005 Hecula … Though I do have an ’03 calling my name now …
