Marqués de Valencia Gran Reserva 2004 (Spain)

Nose:  Hit of berry at the beginning, but the remainder is pretty woody.  Reasonably sharp; relatively unremarkable.

Taste:  Pretty bitter all the way through.  Definitely woody in the taste, maybe with a touch of fruit - super dry.

Finish:  Bitter

What we say:  S - 'My nose has issues today, I just smell sharpness'  V - 'The tannins are running wild'  'It has a consistent sharpness in the mouth that is only accented in the finish - this is about as dry as I think we've had it.'  'If you are into a tannin bomb then this might be your thing, but it's not mine.'  S - 'There's stuff going on here, but the finish is a killer.'  'Maybe it's a cheese wine - you certainly can't have it with cherries - the finish just beats you up!'

What they say:  Nuttin'

Rating:  3 on its own, though 6 when paired with a strong cheese.

Faustino V Reserva Rioja 2004 (Spain)

Nose:  Smooth, but with a subtle sharpness

Taste:  At the edge of full-bodied, a bit bitter

Finish:  Unremarkable

What they say:  Extra smooth, silky and elegant

What we say:  V - "It's drinkable.  If you brought it to a party, no one would be disappointed.  It's a middle of the road wine.  It doesn't go for much, but is good at what it does."

Rating:  5 (V - 4; S - 6)