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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PAIRING
2019 ARTUKE Rioja
Rioja Spain 13.5% Red
Tempranillo, Viura. Bio-dynamic, Organic
The sheer drink-ability of this wine marked it out from the first time we tasted it with the 2015 release. A blend of mostly Tempranillo with a splash of Viura and made using carbonic maceration to lock in the wonderful...(read more)
L&S
2016 REY DON GARCIA RIOJA Crianza Bodegas Ruconia
Rioja Alta Rioja Spain 13% Red
Graciano, Tempranillo, 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 throughout. Another Rioja that...(read more)
L&S
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
2017 ESCONDITE DEL ARDACHO Veriquete Tentenublo
Alavesa Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Malvasia, Tempranillo, Viura, Garnacha.
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
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 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 otherwise very like the...(read more)
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 complexity for such a young wine...(read more)
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 amphoras and then aged for one...(read more)
L&S
2011 LA RIOJA ALTA 904 Gran Reserva
Rioja Spain 14.5% Red
Graciano, Tempranillo. Magnums
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)
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