Numanthia Termes 2002

Professional Ratings

• 93 Wine Spectator
  Top 100: 2004, Rank: 3

  Cassis and cocoa notes follow through on the palate of this voluptuous, international-style red. Mouthcoating tannins can't overwhelm the ripe, expressive flavors of cassis, blackberry and kirsch. The wine is fresh and focused, and the long finish echoes with vanilla and Eastern spices. Best after 2005. 2,000 cases made.

• 90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2002 Termes represents the owners’ attempt to provide a high quality, realistically priced Toro. This dark ruby-colored, cleanly made effort is filled with fruit, white chocolate, pepper, and spice. A hedonistic, fruit-driven wine that reactionary terroiristes will despise because it provides too much pleasure, it should be consumed over the next several years given the vintage’s fragile fruit.

  Broker Jorge Ordonez is heavily involved in this project, which is an attempt to revive high quality wines in Toro, a distinctive viticultural area that was devastated by phylloxera. There are a number of serious wines emerging from Toro, but Numanthia may be the most perfectionist wine of the appellation (although Vega Sicilia’s Pintia and the Campo Elysio from Michel Rolland are among the worthy competitors).