Red Merlot Wine Javier Asencio is a Reserva from the 2002 vintage and is considered one of the finest red Merlot wines from Spain. Aged for a minimum of 12 months in American oak barrels, this Navarra region of Spain red has a very dark cherry color with many ink layers. It's a red Merlot with an intense aroma of ripe black fruit and fine and elegant roasted balsamic notes, mint, notes of licorice, cocoa and an earthy background. In the mouth it is medium bodied with nice acidity, fruity and well polished tannins. The flavors are well integrated between each other and feature notes of toast with fruit. The finish is medium to long, with a slight aftertaste of licorice and smoky flavors. This wine is made from the Merlot grapes from Finca Sesmilla, specially selected within the 72 Hectarias for its extraordinary qualities. It is all natural, unfiltered and over time may show sediment. Decantering is recommended and only 10,400 bottles were produced. Drink now through 2012.

The ancient kingdom of Navarra, partly Basque, is nestled in the shadow of the Pyrenees to the north and east, and La Rioja to the west, with the main area around the `bull run town` of Pamplona. The region has made huge leaps in quality over recent years, producing exciting wines from a range of local and international grape varietals. Asensio Viñedos y Bodegas is run by the Sanz Asensio brothers. They founded this winery in 1994 with one goal: to develop quality wines. Settled in the subzone of the Ribera Alta, the owners grow around 70 hectares of vineyards. The plants are based on limestone and alluvial loams in the wilderness of Tierra Estella, Sesma. It is an arid zone where ripening grapes produce very low yields. Theirs is one of the wineries that produces the new wines from Navarra. From Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo is harvest and aged in American oak. Their wines are known as dense and meaty, almost black in the glass with a fresh crisp fruit, heady nose, and a long reverberation. Javier Asensio has succeeded to make some of Navarra's top rated wines. The Guía Peñín has rewarded their wines in every single issue since 1999.

RATINGS: 92 Points - Penin Guide to Spanish Wines

Alcohol: 13.5% vol.