On my "wine calendar" today, it features Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi. The description is quite unique: "The wine howls with dark aromas and flavors (leather, cigar, coffee, cacao, black licorice) And there's a fascinating "corrupt" undertone-something that smells faintly and sweetly of sweat and animal fur." This is a pricey wine: $80. Has anyone tried it? Can you attest to the corrupt undertones?

OMG .. that is as pretentious as it gets ! I don't know who the critic is but I would NOT pay 80 bucks after hearing that description .
Better , teachertraveler8 , to do what's best ( as you know ) and go buy a Spanish wine at maybe 20 Dollars and just enjoy it simply .( here in the Uk I can buy a great Tempranillo , called El Rastro , at the supermarket for about 6 Euros )
I've had French wines at ( equivalent ) $800 a bottle !!!!.... Really smooth and delicious .. but the price is ridiculous . I think the most I ever spent on a bottle of wine in Madrid was 25 Euros and it was wonderful .
Actually , think of the wine we had at the restaurant at the Santiago Bernabeu ... That was excellent .
I really think the wine industry , many times , overprice their wines .
Look at champagne .. I've had many bottles of 12 Euro Cava that I think is better than a 35 Euro bottle of Moet et Chandon .
Ok , rant over ..... jejejejeje ,

Just as a footnote .. The well known ( in Europe ) Pizza Express chain ( good qualitie pizzas etc... in smart restaurants ) has a house red wine called Montepluciano d'abruzzo ... The smoothest Italian wine you could imagine ... and they sell it for about 18 Euros only .

By the way ... I have no idea of the price of Spanish wines in The States .. so my $20 price range is equivalent to a 8 or 9 Euro bottle from a supermarket in Madrid ... A pretty decent wine .

ZOIKS!! If the price didn't scare me away from this wine, the description certainly would! That's how I like the undertones of MY wine, "sweat and animal fur"!!!! But I think I could handle the "leather, cigar, coffee, cacao, and black licorice" flavor.

Never heard of this wine, but a lot of Spanish wines get exported that never get sold in Spain. I've often suggested that only THE BEST and THE WORST Spanish wines get exported, leaving the middle-of-the-road stuff for local/daily consumption IN Spain.

Saludos, MadridMan

alvaro Palacio is one of the innovator and influential bodegas in Spanish wine worldwide. its right up there, with the best. You should try it. Les Terraces and L'ermita are sublime.
of course I am a wine collector and Spanish wines have a place in my cellar too ::)

here is something in English
http://www.vinissimus.co.uk/en/bodegas/index.html?id_bodega=alpa
Cheers

So, Pedmar, have you tried this? Would you agree with the reviewer about the undertones?

i try the two i mentioned but this guy those all good.

Gulp! I mistakenly "Tweeted" that this wine TASTED LIKE "sweat and animal fur" when, in reality, it had undertones (i.e. smells) of "sweat and animal fur"! Which, I guess, I'd rather it SMELL like "sweat and animal fur" than TASTE like "sweat and animal fur"!!

But if pedmar says this guy's wines are good, I believe him!!

Saludos, MadridMan

Here's the full review: "Red wine drinkers owe it to themselves to try this stunning wine, considered one of the top reds of Spain. But be prepared. Finca Dofi is probably unlike anything you usually drink. The wine howls with dark aromas and flavors (leather, cigar, coffee, cacao, black licorice). And theres a fascinating "corrupt" undertone-something that smells faintly and sweetly of sweat and animal fur. (I know this description might seem a little out there. But you'll see.) Alvaro Palacios, one of the top avant-garde winemakers in Spain's Priorat region, is credited with finding some of the best old, nearly abandoned vineyards of Spain and bringing them back to life."

You could also use the word "BOLD" for how they've worded their description!! I'd imagine that alone could turn some people off while intriguing others.

This is on your wine calendar, but are you thinking of buying it to see what an animal-fur-and-sweat-smelling wine is like?

Saludos, MadridMan

I'm not thinking of buying it. I do enjoy Spanish wines, but I'm satisfied with the more reasonably priced brands. I suppose if someone highly recommended the wine, I would be more tempted to try it, but I was mostly curious. It is interesting that the wines Spain exports are not necessarily the ones available in Spain. For example, I really like "Marques de Caceres rioja". It's Spanish, but is it also sold in Spain or only for export?