1996 Familia Torres Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
TA 5.5 g/l, 3.76 pH. 18 months in new French oak. Coffee, chocolate, slightly fungal – but not rancid. Much more convincing than the 1989 – livelier and more structural. Dry, smoky finish. Has Cabernet’s aristocratic poise. (RH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Saturated dark red. Reticent but highly nuanced nose of cassis, black cherry, espresso, black olive, currant leaf, tobacco and baking spices. Very tightly wound, but opened somewhat with aeration to show considerable depth and complexity. Notes of maraschino cherry, licorice and tobacco leaf emerged with time in the glass. A very firmly structured wine that's still an infant today. Finishes with terrific grip; the ripe, dusty tannins spread out to coat the palate.