620. Cave d’Irouleguy, Domaine de Mignaberry Irouleguy, 2007 
619. Sonoma-Cutrer, Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, 2007 
618. Bodega Poesia, Clos des Andes Mendoza, 2005 
617. Mitolo, G.A.M. McLaren Vale Shiraz, 2005 
616. Hatzidakis, Mavrotragano Cyclades, 2005 
615. Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, 2006 Rioja Alavesa
Marqués de Riscal: Gehry hotel outshining solid Rioja and Rueda
Marqués de Riscal is a long-established, prominent bodega in the Rioja Alavesa village of Elciego, 20 minutes’ drive West of Logroño. At 5m bottles …
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 …
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 …
El Sacramento: new Rioja Alavesa project
The first vintage of El Sacramento was as recent as 2011, where the bodega was established around 4Ha planted in 1985. In October 2017, …
Pujanza: classy, boutique, new wave Rioja
We arranged a visit at Pujanza on the recommendation of Madeleine’s good friend and new Contino winemaker, Jorge Navascues. I’m grateful to Jorge for …
Bodegas Ysios: a Rioja to watch
I’d had a recommendation from one of the folks at Wines of Rioja to visit Ysios since it is close to Laguardia where we …
Artadi: single vineyard revolutionaries
After meeting César Román, Artadi’s commercial guy, at ProWein, I arranged to visit them with Ruth and fellow MW, Madeleine Stenwreth. We went into …
Rioja: Spain’s classic region is changing
Rioja, the most famous wine region in Spain. Home to Tempranillo and the American oak barrel. One of only 2 regions, with Priorat, carrying …
El Fabulista: a different Rioja story
Bodega El Fabulista, “The Storyteller”, is…unusual. Named after local story writer, Felíx María Samaniego, it is one of only 2 bodegas still inside the …