Conde de Valdemar 'Finca Alto Cantabria’ 2016, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Viura 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 89 Points

🧩 Three months in new French oak

🔹 Attractive nose with aromas of peaches, apricots, orange peel, vanilla and light floral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, flavourful with a slightly creamy texture and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length, dry with a salty tropical fruit flavours.

🔸 What a shame that I don’t indulge in white Rioja more often. White Rioja may not be as well known as it’s red sibling and as a result, it often represents a better value. This is a delicious food wine which paired beautifully with a slightly spicy Kung Pao chicken. Hard to resist at this price and strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends.

Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja, Spain

 

This wine is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuela and 5% Graciano with maturation taking place in a combination of French and American oak barrels and alcohol coming in at a reasonable 13.5%. The finished wine spent 48 months in bottle before being released.

 

This blend opened up with aromas of blackberry/cherry fruit, stewed plums, wood smoke and Asian spices. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, stewed fruit (prunes and figs) and smoky flavours, low acidity and fine grained tannins. A medium length on the finish, lacking freshness and energy, the vestige of barrels fermentation were still quite apparent. Most likely will be much better in a year or two but will never achieve elegance in my view. Still enjoyable but I was hopping for better. Suggestive pairing, leg of lamb, score 88 points.

 

Purchased September 5, 2012 at the SAQ in Gatineau (00325084) at $32.25