I thought the idea of Gran Reserva was that the wines had mellowed through the 5+ years of aging. Not this one… Ramón Bilbao Rioja Gran Reserva 2008, Spain (£14.95-£16.95 Hercules Wine Warehouse, Noel Young, Sandhams, The Wine Reserve, Concept Fine Wines) Still a pup, with oak coming through strongly […]
Rioja
Viña Real Rioja Crianza 2011, Spain (£11.05 Lea & Sandeman Company Ltd, Fortnum and Mason Plc, Cranbrook Wines, D.Byrne & Co, Ann et Vin Ltd, Hailsham Cellars, York Wines, Pimlico Dozen Ltd, Field and Fawcett, Cheers Wine Merchants, Wino’s Ltd, Bin 21 Limited, The Clifton Cellars, The Drinkshop.com Ltd, Dickens […]
Five Tempranillos (-ish) from Spain & Australia
… all of them excellent. The penultimate of the catch-up-on-tasting-notes posts (see intro HERE if that doesn’t make sense) Viña Real Rioja Reserva 2009, Spain (£17.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, Wimbledon, Partridges, DeFINE, Tanners) Relaxed, open-hearted wine, with sweet berry flavours, meaty/earthy overtones and fine tannins, gentle but persistent, hard to ignore now, but […]
Four Rioja Reservas
This grew on me… Izadi Rioja Blanco 2013, Spain (£14.99 Eton Vintners, New Forest Wines, Charlie Crown, Grape & Grind, The Cellar at Clevedon, Bentley’s Wine Merchants, Loki, Aitken Wines, Lockett Bros, The Fine Wine Company, Winedirect.co.uk, Thedrinkshop.com, Slurp.co.uk) A wine that’s as much about texture as flavour. There’s not […]
Izadi Rioja Blanco 2013, Spain
Think there was a better, gentler wine to be made here… Orben Rioja 2009, Spain (£23.99 Eton Vintners, Charlie Crown, Grape & Grind, Scarlet Wines, The Jolly Vintner Too, The Cellar at Clevedon, Aitken Wines, WoodWinters, The Fine Wine Company, Winedirect.co.uk, Thedrinkshop.com) Starts off rather big and oaky, and remains […]
Orben Rioja 2009, Spain
On the richer side of rosé, but none the worse for that. Cune Rioja Rosado 2012, Spain (£9.49 Majestic, Dunedin Wines, Refreshers, Ellies Cellars, Hailsham Cellars, Fountainhall Wines, winedirect.co.uk) Deep strawberry pink in colour, and maintains the red berry theme with juicy fruit (fresh and slightly cooked), with notes of […]