1996 Mauro Terreus
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Tasting notes
The muscular, broodingly backward 1996 Terreus Pago de Cueva Baja exhibits a saturated dark purple color, as well as a tight but promising nose of minerals, black raspberries, and blackberries. Spicy new oak makes an appearance in this dense, full-bodied, nearly impenetrable wine. It requires 4-6 years of cellaring, and should last for two decades. Everything appears to be well-balanced enough to present fascinating potential for the future. A Christopher Cannan Selection, imported by Europvin USA, Watertown, MA; tel. (617) 924-7620
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Saturated dark ruby. Exhilarating, sappy aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, bitter chocolate, licorice, flowers and smoky oak; superripe but not at all cooked. Huge, expansive, very sweet and very long; has a texture like liquid velvet. A distinctly broader style than the "regular" '96 reserva but with no loss of focus. Finishes with ripe, chewy tannins that spread out to suffuse the entire palate, and a building wave of sweet, lush fruit. Extraordinary wine-this struck me as midway between the '95 and '96 Pingus in style-or like a great vintage of Chateau Rauzan-Segla.