Excellent, tasted April 2014

When first opened, this just seems old, a decade on, and what you get is leather, wood, spice, meat, and funk, as if from a dusty attic with a leak. But you get whiffs of more in the background, and the air brings it out, with a day, two days, and multiple swirls, the cherry, redcurrant, plum, strawberry, blackberry, and sweet vanilla, bursting through with a touch of smokiness. Too much of the funk remains, but the balance that is so much a hallmark of Bodegas Altanza is evident. This has its flaws, yes, but it's one of those hugely complex wines that requires attention and rewards patience.