Rioja
927. Lopez de Heredia-Viña Tondonia, Viña Tondonia Blanco Rioja Reserva, 1999
The Spain theme was also present in the whites, and this showed the real quality and subtler, smoother power of Tondonia Blanco Reserva over …
922. Lopez de Heredia-Viña Tondonia, Viña Tondonia Rioja Gran Reserva, 1994
The current release of the Gran Reserva, and it showed the top quality both of the 1994 vintage, and Tondonia. As José-Luis advised, this …
896. Torre de Oña, Rioja Reserva, 2008
Dropped into a tempranillo line-up as an example of wine aged in Hungarian oak. La Rioja Alta use Hungarian for this comparatively modern-style Rioja, …
894. Bodegas Roda, Roda I Rioja Reserva, 1992
Found this in The Vineyard a couple of years back – Roda’s first vintage, so a bit of history. An inauspicious vintage, which perhaps …
856. CVNE, Imperial Rioja, 1973
Found in 28-50, and… well… what the hell! Always a gamble, but this 41 year old bottle, though fully mature, had not hollowed out, …
828. Finca Allende, Aurus Rioja, 1996
The first vintage of Finca Allende’s top wine, I think? Ready to drink now. Elegant. Perhaps not completely top drawer, but certainly a level …
810. CVNE, Viña Real Rioja Gran Reserva, 2004
The exemplar Gran Reserva, and just that: a ripe, deep vintage giving black fruit character, with a careful coating of American oak primarily. Fine …
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 …
747. Bodegas Domecq de Jarauta, Viña Marro Rioja Reserva, 2007
A second vintage of this, from a similar source. And again, a good example of a £10-15, modern-style, attractive Reserva Rioja. A touch jammy, …