($54, Fines Estates from Spain):  Remirez de Ganuza is one of the star producers of Rioja.  This bottling, the Fincas de Ganuza, is his second wine, which makes its quality all the more remarkable.  A blend of old vine Tempranillo and Garnacha, it has power, dark minerality–almost tarry element–and an appealing meaty element offset by lovely freshness.  They attribute the freshness and minerality of the wine to the high altitude of the vineyards in the Rioja Alavesa region.  Despite its power, the wine is not overblown or aggressive, but beautifully balanced. 93 Michael Apstein Jul 13, 2010