2019 Macán, Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia, Rioja, Spain

The bodega's Gran Vino - or Grand Vin if you’re French - is sourced from 100 hectares in the villages of Ábalos, Elvillar, Labastida, Navaridas and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Firm, powerful, structured and built to develop in bottle for a decade or more. Serious and compact, with damson, blackberry and coffee bean flavours, refreshing acidity and impressive palate length.Drink 2025 - 2035Tim Atkin MW, TimAtkin.com

Attractive aromas of cloves with blackberries, blueberries, cedar and hints of chocolate. It’s full- to medium-bodied with fine yet chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Sleek and muscular. Needs three to five years to soften but already impressive.Try after 2026james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (November 2023)

2019 was a more concentrated and powerful year, warmer and drier, but it was saved by the 80 liters of rain in the first half of September. They tried to select the higher-altitude vineyards to have more freshness, and they reduced the number of new barriques used (55%) and increased the use of foudre (45%) for the élevage of the 2019 Macán. It fermented in stainless steel with 10% of their own yeasts. It has a moderate 14% alcohol, mellow acidity and good freshness and balance. 2019 was a dry and warm year when they did a soft vinification to avoid harsh tannins. The wine is very powerful and dense, with a big structure, and it has plenty of tannins. The oak is still noticeable in the aromatics. Give it some more time in bottle and enjoy with powerful food. It was bottled in August 2021.There are some changes at the joint venture between Vega Sicilia and Benjamin de Rothschild, like the introduction of Garnacha and Graciano in the blend from the 2020 vintage and the use of 20,000-liter oak foudres from 2021. They like 2020, an elegant year, and a more powerful 2019.Drink 2025 - 2031Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (January 2024)