2016 - Sierra Cantabria Coleccion Privada, Rioja

Like most of the wines from this vintage, the 2016 Colección Privada shows more freshness. It's a blend of two vinifications from two vineyards, one traditional and the other one carbonic maceration, and the wine matured in brand new oak barrels, half French oak and half American oak. It's explosive, as it combines the aromatic power of the year and the character of the wine, so it's super aromatic, full of strawberries and vanilla and explosion on the nose. It has tons of fruit and spices, a medium-bodied palate and fine tannins, with a bitter touch from the élevage that should be polished with a little more time in bottle. It should be one of the most expressive and showy vintages of Colección Privada; it's fresh and makes you salivate. Of course, you have to be a bit tolerant with oak, because there is oak here. I later read Parker's description of the 1996, and it sounded very much like this wine. 25,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2018.