Rioja - Red Wines
Such is/was the pre-eminence of Rioja in the Spanish wine market that the name is often used as a catch-all for all Spanish red wine. It is, however, a specific region, hugging the Rio Ebro (but taking its name from a tributary - the Rio Oja) in northern Spain. Much influenced by 19th Century Bordelais wine makers fleeing south from their phylloxera-infested vineyards, Rioja enthusiastically adopted the barrique (a small 225ltr barrel, in Spain made from American rather than French oak) and, thus, Rioja was for many decades intrinsically linked with oak and oaky flavours.
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2016 REY DON GARCIA RIOJA Crianza Bodegas Ruconia
Rioja Alta Rioja Spain 13% Red
Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo.
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 throug...(more info)
L&S
PAIRING
2017 XÉRICO Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 14% Red
Tempranillo, Viura.
Deeper colour than the 'Tinto', a raw freshness, a hint of reduction, super-taut black fruit and sappy energy from whole bunch fermentation. It's 'sauvage' energy is captivating from now and beco...(more info)
L&S
2017 RAPOSO Rioja Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 13.5% Red
Tempranillo.
Dense purple core. Almost Malbec-like nose – blue fruits and violets. Has a chalky texture and slightly chewy but fine-grained tannins. Tight at the moment with good structure and fresh acidity....(more info)
Alistair Cooper MW
2018 LA DULA Garnacha de Altura Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 14% Red
Garnacha.
The fruit for this small cuvée comes from several small plots whose old vines of Garnacha and Garnacha Gris average 80 years old. The vineyards are all very high too at 700m. This gives th...(more info)
L&S
2017 ESCONDITE DEL ARDACHO Veriquete Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Tempranillo, Viura, Garnacha, Malvasia.
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 u...(more info)
L&S
2017 LA DULA Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Garnacha.
A varietal Garnacha from Riva de Tereso, the 2017 La Dula comes from a small 80-year-old plot planted in 1944, so production is extremely low. It's bottled unoaked and matured in amphorae to see...(more info)
Luis Gutierrez, www.robertparker.com
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 uphol...(more info)
Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com
2017 LOS CORRILLOS Rock Abo Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 13.5% Red
Tempranillo, Viura.
Whereas the 'Los Corrillos' label is for a blend of plots around Vinaspre, this one is a single vineyard with a rather rock'n'roll name - it's geographical co-ordinates feature on a label that is...(more info)
L&S
2016 ESCONDITE DEL ARDACHO Las Guillermas Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 13.5% Red
Tempranillo, Viura.
Wonderful aromas of ripe blackberries warmed by the sun along with more 'sauvage' notes of crushed stems and pith on the palate. Like the Veriquete, but possibly more so, this has immense complex...(more info)
L&S
2011 LA RIOJA ALTA 904 Gran Reserva
Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo.
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 an...(more info)
L&S
2016 RIOJA Camino de Santa Cruz Sierra de Toloño
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Spain 13% Red
Tempranillo. Magnums
This wine used to be known as Rivas de Tereso and is one of Sandra's very special, small production releases from a specific old vineyard of pure Tempranillo. As before this is fermented in ampho...(more info)
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