780. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Pinot Gris Rotenberg, 2011 
779. Domaine Huet, Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec, 2012 
778. Domaine des Forges, La Roche aux Moines Savennières, 2012 
777. Selbach-Oster, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese Mosel, 2011 
776. Prager, Wachstum Bodenstein Riesling Smaragd Wachau, 2011 
775. Kumeu River, Estate Chardonnay, 2010 Mazuelo
763. Bodegas Riojanas, Viña Albina Reserva, 1975
Saw this in The Sampler and thought why not? In the end, this is past its best – hollowing out and leaving some brisk …
749. Lopez de Heredia-Viña Tondonia, Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva, 2001
Fascinating way to start MW study group studies, blind. A much more satisfying old-school Rioja than the 1991 Bosconia. Pale garnet, with a tawny …
738. Bodegas Riojanas, Monte Real Rioja Gran Reserva, 2001
The final bottle of this, and it showed much better. A classic, old-school Rioja at maturity. Medium garnet with a broad, brick tinged rim. …
713. CVNE, Viña Real Rioja Gran Reserva, 1973
Bought for Andy’s 40th in April. Starting to fade, but once great. Still nice though. Pale garnet with a broad, brick / caramel rim. …
649. Lopez de Heredia-Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia Rioja Gran Reserva, 1991
I wonder if this bottle – stored close enough to the wine shop’s light to be warm on purchase – might have been a …
569. Marqués de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Rioja Gran Reserva Especial, 1970
Got lazy when the label was being difficult – who knew that leaving it to rot for a couple of weeks would solve the …
La Rioja Alta: benchmark classical Riojas especially top flight Gran Reservas
La Rioja Alta, established in Haro in 1890, is certainly one of the major players in high quality, traditionally-styled Rioja. In their top pair …
Marqués de Murrieta: Rioja aristocracy built around Castillo Ygay
There are many Rioja bodegas with the vaunted title Marqués in their name – Riscal, Cacéres, Concordia inter alia. In the UK, those of …
CVNE: Combining volume and classical quality
CVNE, the Compania Vinicola del Norte de España, is popularly known as Cune (‘koo-nay’) in Spain – so much so that they adopted Cune …
Contino: Château-style Rioja and Graciano pioneers
Contino were the first Rioja bodega to be set up in the mode of a Bordeaux château, with estate grapes from vineyards surrounding the …