RIOJA MONTH - OCTOBER 2021
Spain’s most famous wine region is in our spotlight this month, and we couldn't be prouder to share with you our eclectic selection of red and white vinos.
Located in the north east of Spain, the region is divided into 3 parts: The Rioja Oriental, Alta, and Alavesa. Our Riojas are all sourced from the latter two where you can find fresher and more delicate wines. The Rioja Oriental generally produces wines with fuller body and higher alcohol.
The Rioja Alta is higher in altitude than the lower-lying Rioja Oriental, with soils high in clay. This leads to richer styles of wine, and is where you can find the more traditional wines – well-suited to cellaring and beautiful when mature. Bodegas Ruconia of this style – all of the richness and depth of flavour, but still with a fine line of freshness. A modern style has been emerging in the region too - with less wood ageing and gentler fruit extraction, highlighting the terroir here. These wines (although will have no problem ageing) are easy to enjoy when young. To try the modern winemaking approach of The Rioja Alta, look no further than Bodegas y Viñedos Artuke.
The Rioja Alavesa is the most mountainous part of Rioja, with soils rich in limestone. The wines here are the finest and most elegant you can find. Our Rioja Alavesa producers are blessed with exceptional vineyards in some of the highest parts of the entire Rioja region – up to 650m in some cases. Try the lively and vivacious wines from Tentenublo or the gentle and refined wines from Sierra de Toloño – winemaker Sandra Bravo was awarded "Young Winemaker of the year 2019" by Rioja expert Tim Atkin. Both of these producers make modern styled Riojas, using very little oak to gently support the delicate and pure fruit character.
- Free delivery for all orders over £150. Case price* discount on any 12 (mixed) bottles or more. -
2016 REY DON GARCIA RIOJA Crianza Bodegas Ruconia
Rioja Alta Rioja Spain 13% Red
Mazuelo, Tempranillo, Graciano.
A lovely Crianza from Bodegas Ruconia. This is a firm favourite at L&S. Lots of lively cherry fruit wrapped up in attractive vanilla oak. Medium bodied, the wine holds a good high tone throughout. Another Rioja that...(read more)
L&S
2014 RIOJA RESERVA Bodegas Ruconia
Rioja Alta Rioja Spain 14% Red
Mazuelo, Tempranillo, Graciano.
Intense, dark, red cherry colour. Strong aromas of tobacco, toasty notes, creamy and ripe blackberry aromas. Round, velvety and full of volume, leaving toasted, spicy notes on the palate.
Winemaker's notes
2018 XÉRICO Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 14% Red
Tempranillo, Viura.
Roberto Oliván's 'very own house wine', the Xerico is co-fermented Tempranillo and Viura, resulting in a spicy, slightly 'sauvage' wine, with an incredible freshness and energy from whole bunch fermentation. Sligh...(read more)
L&S
2012 LA RIOJA ALTA Viña Ardanza
Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Mazuelo, Tempranillo, Graciano.
The Tempranillo (78%) comes from 30-year-old vines in our Cuesta (Cenicero) and Montecillo (Fuenmayor) vineyards. The Garnacha (22%) comes from La Pedriza vineyard in Tudelilla (Rioja Oriental). This 70 hectare property...(read more)
Winemaker's notes
2017 RIOJA Camino de Santa Cruz Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 14% Red
Tempranillo.
Subtle but intriguing nose that slowly revels itself in the glass. Black olive and thyme with nice herbal notes on the palate too. There is good freshness and layered structured tannins with the chalkiness very present....(read more)
Alistair Cooper MW
2017 ESCONDITE DEL ARDACHO Veriquete Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Tempranillo, Malvasia, Garnacha, Viura.
Roberto Oliván continues to produce exquisite wines with deep saturated colour and explosive aromatics like this. Veriquete is a plot that is just under half a hectare at nearly 600 Mtrs up in the Sierra Cantabria...(read more)
L&S
2018 RIOJA ALAVESA Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 13.5% Red
Tempranillo. Magnums
We really love Sandra's high elevation Rioja and this is another cracker. At 400 Metres up you start to get wines with greater freshness and precision, fragrant and detailed, this has damson, blueberry and dark cherry fr...(read more)
L&S
2017 ESCONDITE DEL ARDACHO El Abundillano Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 15.5% Red
Tempranillo, Garnacha.
This one-hectare field blend of Garnacha with 10% Tempranillo and Malvasía was planted at the turn of the last century on red clay and sand soils. The resulting wine is rich and well upholstered with plenty of alc...(read more)
Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com
2017 NAHI Tempranillo Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 14% Red
Tempranillo.
Sourced from the same vineyard in Villabuena de Álava as her Naikun white, this old-vine Tempranillo is another impressive release from this talented young winemaker. Violet scented, with intensity from low yields...(read more)
Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com
2011 LA RIOJA ALTA 904 Gran Reserva
Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Tempranillo, Graciano.
From the third great vintage in a row, the 2011 Gran Reserva 904 is the product of one of only 14 vintages declared ‘excellent’ by the Rioja Consejo Regulador. Fantastically complex nose, rich and so enticing with the ex...(read more)
L&S
RIOJA MONTH MIXED DOZEN
This mixed dozen is a snapshot of some of what we love the most about Rioja. With a few extra pounds knocked off from our usual case price it’s a must this Autumn. ¡Salud!
- 2 x 2020 RIOJA BLANCO Sierra de Toloño
- 2 x 2019 TENTENUBLO Rioja Blanco
- 2 x 2017 ESCONDITE DEL ARDACHO El Abundillano Tentenublo
- 2 x 2019 LA DULA Garnacha de Altura Sierra de Toloño
- 2 x 2016 REY DON GARCIA RIOJA Crianza Bodegas Ruconia
- 2 x 2014 RIOJA RESERVA Bodegas Ruconia
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