The 2005 Otazu Altar is made up of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Tempranillo aged for 18 months in new French oak and bottled without filtration. The fruit was sourced from a single vineyard. A glass-coating opaque purple color, the inviting aromatics display notions of exotic spices, incense, blackcurrant, and blackberry. This sets the stage for a mouth-filling, rich, layered wine reminiscent of a classified growth Bordeaux. Give it 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2025.
Bodega Otazu is one of the quality leaders of the up-and-coming DO of Navarra (which I visited in 2011).
Importer: New Age Imports, Verona, NJ; www.newageimports.net