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.

Bodegas Urbina Reserva Especial 2006, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 95%
🍇 Mazuelo, Garnacha, Graciano 5%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 Two years in barrels (75% American oak and 25% French oak) follow by seven years in bottle before release.

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Gorgeous, sensuous nose with aromas of blueberries, plums, mushrooms, leather, dried herbs, vanilla and light barnyard notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied smooth texture, flavourful with soft tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is medium length with earthy and savoury notes lingering.

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Wow! How can you get a delicious and mature wine like this for $40. If you would like to experience a mature wine without the high price point? I recommend that you start with a classic Rioja like this one. Urbina released this wine when they were confident it was ready to drink. It is definitely ready to enjoy now, I don’t see any reason for additional time in bottle. Endless pairing opportunities or delicious on it’s own. Thank you Urbina 🙏 It’s a delicious wine experience. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Purchased at the LCBO in Toronto last December.

Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva 2012, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 78%
🍇 Graciano & Mazuelo  22%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

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Sensuous bouquet with aromas of cherries, plums, dried figs, Asian spices, leather, vanilla and toasty notes. On the mouthfeel medium-full bodied, beautiful texture, flavourful with fine grainy tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, smooth with plenty of exotic flavours.

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Another Spanish beauty! What I truly appreciate, is how well integrated the oak is at this stage and how delicious and elegant the mouthfeel is. I have enjoyed a few Gran Reserva lately and this is definitely the smoothest and most exotic. Strongly recommended my wine friends. Cheers 🍷

CVNE Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva 2010, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 85%
🍇 Graciano 10%
🍇 Mazuelo 5%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 94 Points

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Intoxicating, sensuous nose with aromas of plums, berry fruit, dried figs, tobacco leaves, vanilla, old church wood and balsamic notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, elegant texture, silky tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of plums, cherries and exotic spices.

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I have just been named the Spanish wine Ambassador here in Canada 🙂 Jokes asides, second Spanish wine in a row and what a treat this Rioja is. It’s incredible that you could get such an elegant, mature wine like this for $56 @lasaq  An incredible value and drinking beautifully right now. This 2010 Rioja vintage is a gift that keeps on giving. What a treat 👌 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Bodegas Beronia Reserva 2014, D.O.Ca. Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 95%
🍇 Graciano 4%
🍇 Mazuelo 1%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score  90 Points

🧩 This wine spent 20 months in a combination of French and American oak. Quite literally, the barrels created by Beronia long time winemaker Matias Calleja are a mix of barrels made from American staves and French tops.

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An elegant, attractive nose with aromas of blackberries, plums, spices, vanilla and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, soft fruit, smooth tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of plums, spices and chocolate covered blueberries.

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A beautiful Rioja with soft texture, flavourful with terrific oak integration. A crowd pleasing, easy drinking wine with lots of appeals. Great value, definitely one of those case worthy purchases. Strongly recommended 👌Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Hacienda López de Haro Gran Reserva 2010, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 90%
🍇 Graciano 10%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 30 months in French and American oak barrels than 20 months in bottle before release

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Sensuous nose with aromas of cherries, plums, soft leather, vanilla, herbal notes and earthy undertones. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, sweet ripe fruit covering the palate, silky tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of spicy blueberry/plum fruit lingering.

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Another gorgeous wine from the 2010 Rioja vintage, drinking beautifully right now. A Gran Reserva with sensuous aromatics, harmonious texture and great flavours. Definitely a great deal of appeal and a fantastic value. Strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Herederos del Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva 2014, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 90%
🍇 Graciano 7%
🍇 Mazuelo 3%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

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Sensuous nose with aromas of blackberries, dark plums, dried figs, spicy, oak and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, smooth and elegant texture, grainy tannins and fresh acidity.The finish is medium-long, smooth with flavourful toasty oak and earthy flavours.

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Few meals makes me more happy than a charcuterie and cheese platter paired with a classic Spanish Rioja. With an strong umami flavoured meal like this platter it’s hard for me to think of any other wine that would work this well. As for this Rioja Reserva from Marqués de Riscal, a Classic Rioja with plenty of well integrated oak at this stage, beautiful texture, seductive mouthfeel and very flavourful. Definitely a great value.

I would especially like to mention my favourite butcher shop, here in Victoria @farmandfieldbutchers. It’s always a great shopping experience, beautiful layout, clean store, friendly and helpful staff and beautiful appetizing meat counter. Their selection of cured meat is top notch. For this platter;

-Bison and elk salami
-Duck noisette salami
-Triple fennel ale salami and
-Two rivers spicy Coppa

All of them very delicious. Cheers my wine friends 🍷🙂

Marqués de Murrieta Limited Edition Gran Reserva 2011, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

Marqués de Murrieta Limited Edition Gran Reserva 2011, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸 

🍇 Tempranillo 91%

🍇 Mazuelo 4%

🍇 Graciano 3%

🍇 Garnacha 2%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 94%

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Exquisite nose with aromas of wild berries, plums, dried figs, exotic wood spices, leather and a hint of tobacco. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, very flavourful, multi layered texture, grainy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is long with layered dark fruit, chocolate and wood spices all wrapped up in fine tannins. 

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It would be difficult to find a better value, than this aged Rioja. Definitely a stunning, classic Rioja from Marqués de Murrieta, with it’s sensuous aromatics, multi layered texture and long flavourful finish. An exceptional addition to your cellar, which should keep improving over the next decade. Enjoyable now after being decanted for a few hours. A remarkable wine 👌😋 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Carlos Serres Reserva 2012, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 90%
🍇 Graciano 10%

🧐 Alcool 14%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

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Sensuous nose with aromas of wild berries, cherries, plums, vanilla, leather and smoke undertone. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, smooth texture, flavourful with silky tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium-long with excellent depth of flavours.

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What a great find at the European Vine Selections store, in Seattle, last month. I reviewed a few Reserva lately, where I said that it would keep improving over the next few years. This wine is what I was talking about, seven years old and it’s in a beautiful place right now. Incredible aromatics with all elements of this wine well integrated and a flavourful, elegant finish. At $16 US dollars for a mature wine like this one, the quality/price ratio is well in your favour. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Bodegas Muriel Reserva 2014, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 89 Points

🧩 24 months in French & American oak than a further 2 years in bottle before re

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This Rioja opens up with a rustic bouquet of sour cherry/plum fruit, dried figs, cedar, leather, incense and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, robust texture, grainy tannins and low acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of dark fruits, bitter chocolate, earthy and peppery notes lingering.

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I have been enjoying Muriel’s wines for more than a decade now. This is a beautiful wine which should keep improving with a further 2-3 years in bottle, that should soften up it’s oak dominance. This is the kind of great value, crowd pleasing wine that could be a three bottle purchase, to enjoy as it developes over the next few years. How about a charcuterie platter with dried fruits and nuts?  Strongly recommended 👌😋 Cheers my wine friends

CVNE Cune Reserva 2014, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 85%
🍇 Graciano, Garnacha & Mazuelo 15%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🧩 18 months in French and American oak with racking every six months. The final wine spent an additional 12 months in bottle before being released.

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Sensuous bouquet with aromas of cherries, plums, exotic spices, underbrush, exotic spices and light vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, tasty smooth texture, silky tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length, dry, sweet and sour fruit and a beautiful savoury edge.

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This wine was drinking well but should improve with a further 2-3 years in bottle. The best is yet to come. Another delicious and tasty Spanish Rioja and strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

 

Palacios Remondo La Montesa 2010, Rioja, Spain

75% of this Rioja is made with Grenache, and in a supporting role Tempranillo at 20% and Mazuelo at 5%, maturation in mostly French oak (90%) with the remaining 10% American oak and alcohol comes in at 14%.

Ruby red in the glass with a tings of violet this wine opened up with aromas of red berry fruit, plums, leather, spices and light cedar and vanilla. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with spicy bright flavors, lively acidity and well integrated fine tannins. Good energy and length on the finish with flavors of sweet and tangy berry fruit lingering. Another great wine from Alvaro Palacios, showing lots of charm and personality. I can almost describe this as a spicy Pinot Noir, strongly recommended score 89 points.

Purchased September 14, 2013 at the SAQ (10556993) at $19.65    

Marqués De Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva 2006, DOCa Rioja, Spain

This wine is a blend of mostly Tempranillo, with 88%, 7% Mazuelo, 3% Garnacha (Grenache) and 2% Graciano, ageing took place in 225 litre American oak barrels for 18 months followed by 24 months in bottles before being released. Finally, alcohol comes in at 14%.

An intriguing and mature bouquet on this Rioja, with aromas of wild berries, plums, dried strawberry, Moroccan spices, sandalwood, floral and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with bright flavours, smooth texture, great acidity and fine grainy tannins. This wines finish is long, with great energy, flavourful, with a little bit of alcohol heat lingering. For me, this wine hits all the right notes, starting with a very sensuous bouquet, beautiful, well structured mouthfeel and a long flavourful, smooth and elegant finish. Drinking well now but should improve with a further 2-3 years in bottle. The quality/price ratio is well in your favour, score 92 points.

Purchased June 22, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (209148) at $24.95

La Rioja Alta S.A. Grand Reserva 904 Cosecha 2001, Rioja, Spain

This wine is made with mostly Tempranillo at 90%, from vines over 40 years old. 10% is Graciano, with maturation taking place in 4 year old American oak barrels, then aged for 4 years. With an additional 6 1/2 years aging in bottle at the vineyard, the alcohol comes in at 12.5%.

This is another mature Spanish beauty, with aromas of sweet wild berries, sour cherry-plum, dried figs, leather, gentle wood spices and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, light-medium bodied, silky smooth texture with delicate flavours, more spices than fruit at this stage, balanced acidity and fine tannins. A medium length on the finish with flavours of plum, exotic spices and fine silky tannins lingering, this 2001 Spanish vintage is the gift that keeps on giving, and this Grand Reserva is a good example of a traditional elegant and refined style of Tempranillo. I prefer this winery, Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial from the same vintage which I enjoyed last February; it had a little more structure. But this is still a gorgeous wine, score 91 points.

Purchased May 11, 2013 at Crush Wine & Spirits in New York City for $41.95

Miguel Torres Ibéricos Crianza 2010, Rioja, Spain

 

This wine is 100% Tempranillo with maturation taking place in oak barrels for 12 months and alcohol coming in at 14%.

This wine opened up with aromas of wild strawberry, cherry, plum, spicy, light cedar and earthy notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, youthful, fresh and spicy with refreshing acidity and fine grained tannins. This wine’s finish is long with great energy. If you are looking for a lighter, easy drinking fruity red wine to be enjoyed throughout the summer. This would be an awesome choice and it’s certainly not lacking structure. I love those fine tannins, which had a nice texture on the finish. Best served around 15-16°C, this brings out the fruity character of this wine. Very enjoyable, score 89 points.

Purchased April 28, 2013 at the SAQ (11180342) AT $17.95  



Marqués De Cáceres Tinto Reserva 2005, DOCa Rioja, Spain

This wine is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano with maturation in French oak for 20 months, plus a further 18 months in bottle before release and alcohol coming in at 14%.

This wine opened up with a sensuous bouquet of cherry, blackberry, black plum, incense, toast, sandalwood, cinnamon and vanilla spices. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, dry, a nice blend of fruit, cedar and spices, mild acidity and grainy tannins. This wine’s finish is long, masculine with a savoury edge and persistent tannins lingering. This wine should acquire additional complexity with a further 2-3 years in bottle, if your impatient (like me) 1-2 hour in your decanter is strongly recommended. I will wait a further 1-2 years before opening my remaining bottle. What I like the most about this reserve 2005 is the aromatics, strongly recommended for fans of Spanish wines. Score 89 points.

Purchased April 13, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (702761) at $24.95

Hermanos Peciña Señorio de P. Peciña Crianza 2007 DOCa, Rioja, Spain

This Crianza is a blend of 95% Trempranillo, 3% Graciano and 2% Garnacha or Grenache, maturation in seasoned American oak for 24 months than a further two years in bottle before release. Alcohol comes in at 13.5%.

This wine opened up with sensuous aromas of wild berries, exotic spices, tobacco leaf, old church wood and dried flowers. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, smooth with a soft texture, balance acidity and fined grained tannins. Medium length on the finish, dry, a bit tangy, rustic and slightly disjointed and lacking energy and finesse. I love the aromatics and mouthfeel but the finish didn’t do it for me, score 87 points.

Purchased March 30, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (313726) at $19.95

Ontañón Reserva 2004, Rioja, Spain

This wine is a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano with maturation in 60% American oak and 40% in French oak (a combination of used and new oak for both) for 12 months, plus a further 24 months in bottle before release, alcohol comes in at 13%.

This wine opened up with aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, dark plum, Asian spices, incense, leather and black pepper. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, firm structure, concentrated flavours with balanced acidity and considerable tannins. This wines finish is long with loads of black fruit, bitter chocolate and woody tannins. I really enjoyed the aromatics and mouthfeel, but even if this Rioja is almost nine years old the tannins still need time to soften up a bit. The finish is too tannic and tangy for me at this time. Give this wine another year or two, score 89 points.    

Purchased March 16, 2013 Vintages New Release (725895) at $24.95

La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial 2001, Rioja, Spain

This wine is a blend of 80 % Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha (Grenache), maturation taking place in American oak (averaging 4 years old) for 36 months, bottled in March 2004 and alcohol is 13.5%. The designation of Especial is reserve for these exceptional vintages; La Rioja Alta has only given this designation on two previous vintages, the 1964 and 1973.

This wine opened up with a very mature and sensuous bouquet of wild berries, dried strawberries, dark plums, soft leather, tobacco leaf, gentle wood spices, cinnamon and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with soft spicy seductive fruit flavours, balanced acidity and soft silky tannins. This Rioja finish is very smooth with a beautiful silky texture. This is one of the most elegant and attractive wines I have enjoyed in a while. When I cellar a bottle of wine, this is the result I am anticipating. However, I didn’t have to cellar this Rioja since it was already aged for me; at $36.95 it represented a great value. What else can I say? An absolute beauty. Score 93 points   

Purchased January 19, 2013 LCBO Vintages In-Store Discovery (315531) at $36.95

Don Jacobo Reserva 2004, DOCa Rioja, Spain

This wine is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and the remaining 10% a combination of Grenache and Mazuelo with 14 months ageing in casks, bottled in September 2008 and alcohol coming in at 13.5%.

Light ruby in color, this Rioja opened up with a very maturing bouquet of wild strawberry, sour cherry, plum preserve, cedar, gentle wood spices and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with a silky textured, fresh acidity and fine dusty tannins. Medium length on the finish with flavours of sweet and sour fruit, cedar, exotic spices and a underlying earthiness lingering. Where else other than Spain can you find an 8 year old mature wine, ready to enjoy for $17.95? I am a fan of a more traditional style of Rioja just like this one. Perfect pairing? How about a cheese platter with charcuterie, dried fruit and nuts? Strongly recommended, score 89 points.

Purchased January 19, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (313270) at $17.95