Klein Constantia: stellar whites, sweet and dry 
Marqués de Riscal: Gehry hotel outshining solid Rioja and Rueda 
La Rioja Alta: benchmark classical Riojas especially top flight Gran Reservas 
Marqués de Murrieta: Rioja aristocracy built around Castillo Ygay 
CVNE: Combining volume and classical quality 
Contino: Château-style Rioja and Graciano pioneers 
£6-8; 13.5%
Randomly won this in a Pimms-making competition at Diageo (they own BV). Thank God. On cracking this open, for the first day, it had this bizarre and unpleasant whiff to the aroma – a mix of turpentine-like overtones mixed with green minty / stalky notes. With a day or two’s worth of standing (oxidation? – certainly took on more burnt-sugar aromas) this faded and damson and raspberry aromas took over. Even ruby colour. Slightly tannic but quite acidic. Banana-style oak aromas blended in. Overall, required oxidation to become at all drinkable, which doesn’t say much. A pity, BV is one of California’s most established and historic vineyards in Rutherford…
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