Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva 1998 (750ml)

94 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 1998 vintage of Monte Real Gran Reserva was a seminal one for this superb bottling, as this was the first year where the wine was composed entirely of tempranillo and saw a bit of its elevage done in French casks, rather than all American oak barrels. The percentage of French wood used for the 1998 was only ten percent (and would climb a bit in coming years). The 1998 Monte Real is still not quite ready for primetime, but it is blossoming beautifully and is going to be a reference point vintage for this wine, as it offers up a complex aromatic constellation of red plums, cherries, raspberries, a gorgeous base of soil, cloves, fresh nutmeg, coconutty oak and just a whisper of cedar in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and quite refined in personality, with lovely mid-palate depth, fine soil signature, moderate tannins and a long, vibrant and very, very promising finish. Great juice that still deserves some