Bottega: quality Prosecco and Prosecco Rosé 
Book 5 Index 
951. Mullineux, Syrah Swartland, 2011 
950. W & J Graham & Co, 30 Year Old Tawny Port, NV (2010) 
949. Cartuxa, Pêra-Manca Branco Évora, 2012 
948. Pella, Xi-Ro Cuvée Experimentale, NV Gran Reserva
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 …
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 …
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 …
385. Vegaval Plata, Valdepeñas Gran Reserva, 1999
A gift from a part-colleague, from Valdepeñas (she is, as is the wine). Given to me as an intro to the wines of 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 …