Smokey vanilla oak, violets, hot rock, blueberries and char and some old world barnyard. Medium bodied and fresh. Lots of hot rock carry through to the palate. Might be a little shy on fruit for some??? But I appreciated its super fine tannin structure. Purchase as much as you can...amazing value here, I've tasted Rhone over $100 that this compares to. Cheers.

The 2008 Bodegas Del Abad Dom Bueno, composed of 100% Mencía harvested from old vines, is a light to medium bodied, fruity wine with intense aromas of plum/red currant/cherry, some floral notes as well oak and faint vanilla. It has some distinct mineral notes; is bit unbalanced as the fruit and refreshing acidity doesn't match the tannins that are somewhere between refined to tannic (decant for 1-2 hours to allow faint sulphur notes to escape - I agree with Michael Valaitis) and the finish is medium to long. It is food friendly to be enjoyed with carb-dominated dishes; drink now or age short-term till 2014/5. My impression: NICE to BEAUTIFUL (once decanted for 2+ hours), 88-89 pts - wine for light wine lovers. Tasted Dec/12.

See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:

http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections

or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy

I disagree with JS and SA. To my taste, this wine is still very much alive and showing no negative signs of age (bottle variation?). The fruit is bright and vibrant, and while the tannin is noted, it is not obtrusive. The finish is just average to good, but its only a $16 bottle of wine. Nice value. Tasted Nov 2013.

Tasted July/14: Deep purple in colour. Had plum and other dark fruits nose along with a bitter almond. Flavour dominated by black pepper and bitter notes. Would agree that it does not have a lot of life left but has nice power and concentration.

Medium bodied, plum, cherry, black pepper. Tasted December 2016.

Dark plum and wet forest floor aromas from the cork. Medium+ aromatics offering barnyard, earth, sweet spice and blackberry. It is full-bodied with warm blackberry, black cherry, cedar, earthy, and meaty flavours. Acids are mouthwatering. Tannins are dense, grainy, and a bit rough. Plenty of earthy, savoury notes on the long finish. Drink this earthy red wine over the next 2-3 years. Tasted Aug/2016. Score: 88+ pts

Deep ruby with a violet trim the appearance still shows deep vibrancy for 4 years of age. Chug the wine through your decanter to blow off that bit of matchstick to find some violet, cherry, red clay and plum scented wax. This Mencia is med+ body with cool nights acid and still tight tannin for the age. It's not overly complex but the structure will give enjoyment over next 4 years. Grilled meats or rich stews. Tasted Dec 12

The '08 isn't nearly as good as the '06 Crianza, even if it isn't a bad example of the Mencia grape in its own right. It opens promisingly with violets and seemingly the full spectrum of purple and black fruit, particularly cassis, along with a heavy dose of sweet vanilla cream, oak, and mild baking spice, and it's all quite luscious, sweet but balanced, similar to the '06, but the richness isn't sustained. The wood takes over while the fruit turns to the dried, leathery, raisiny variety, the flavours thin out, and the finish is somewhat bitter. A fine value, but don't let it sit too long.