2018 San Roman

2018 San Roman

2018 San Roman This is – and has been for two decades – one of Spain’s finest bodegas, and yet all the wines continue to show improvement, even accounting for the different character imparted by different growing seasons. This is a highly expressive wine in the vintage, showing a wine that assures a full decade of positive development. Oak spice is evident on the nose but certainly not overbearing, and though wood tannins add a bit more grip than is optimal for current consumption, the wine isn’t overly rough for those who wish to try this now to determine whether to buy more for future consumption. The fruit profile isn’t as ripe as in 2017, and the wine isn’t as soft and rounded as a result, but the inner energy is actually superior, and the aromas more intricate. The crucial indication that this will develop from something extremely promising into something truly terrific shows up in the finish: the pure midpalate fruit notes initially give way to tannin and wood-derived astringency, but then the fruit re-asserts itself and smooths out the long finish, leaving ripe fruit flavors rather than wood or tannins as the last sensory impression. Very impressive. Michael Franz – October 26, 2021 95pts WRO

2018 has to be one of the finest vintages here; the oak is quite dominant and tannic, but the freshness and balance will make it develop beautifully in bottle. It has ripeness and black fruit and is spicy, with a touch of licorice and ink. This wine has a lot of everything! It’s one of the years with more acidity since they started here in 1997. 112,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021. 2023-2030. 94+pts Parker’s WA

I can remember first tasting these wines. It was the week between Christmas and New Year’s some fifteen years ago when two Spanish gentlemen came to visit me. I tasted their new wines and was blown away. I figured I had time to make a decision and would reach out in the new year to secure the wines. When I called back the wines were gone, every last bottle had been sold and I was pissed. I learnt my lesson and have never allowed that to happen again.

The two men who came to taste me were none other than possibly Spain’s and many consider Europe’s finest Wine Maker Mariano Garcia and his son Eduardo. Mariano Garcia is none other than the Winemaker of Vega Sicilia. Spain’s greatest wine, their first growth. Once the son of a vineyard worker, he happened to pass by the winemaker’s office one day when they needed another taster. With no knowledge of wines, he was the only one to pick out the two identical wines in a blind tasting of 20. He went on to make 28 vintages of Vega Sicilia.

The wines we were tasting were his new venture with his son Eduardo. They were making wine in the region of Toro, Spain. During a Charlie Rose TV broadcast Robert Parker was interviewed and asked, “Which up and coming wine region will make world-class red wines?” His answer, “The Toro region of Spain.” The new Winery is called Bodegas Y Viñedos Maurodos and their flagship wine is called San Roman. This is one of Spain’s greatest wines and one of my all-time favorites.

We have just received the 2018 San Roman, and the wine is better than ever. Parker has given the wine 94+ points, also 95pt from Penin and 95pts from WRO. which is a huge score for the vintage. San Roman receives more consistent and critical praise than any other wine I know of in Europe. The 2012 received 94pts Parker and 95pts Spectator and was # 26 on the Top100 for 2016. 2013 got 93pts Vinous and 93pts Parker. 2014 got 94pts Wine Spectator. 2016 got 94pts Parker, is a no-brainer buy for lovers of full-bodied reds. Red wine does not get better under $50.0

Quote from Dr. Owen Bargeen, Washington Wine Blog.