Barón de Chirel 2012

"If the 2011 felt young, the 2012 Barón de Chirel Reserva is a puppy with all that baby fat to be burned in bottle. In this warm, ripe vintage the blend was 75% Tempranillo and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. There is ripe black fruit and creamy notes that show very primary and unevolved, like if it has just come out of the fermentation oak vats and it had only undergone a short élevage instead of the 18 months in French oak barriques. The palate is quite powerful and ripe with a little bit of warmth toward the finish. It develops some hay and straw notes with time in the glass. This feels the more modern of the three vintages of Chirel I tasted side by side, and I cannot make up my mind if that's a good or bad sign. Very good wine anyway. 12,000 bottles."