Reserva

Not a big-name Rioja in UK at all, but bought in Madrid airport on the recommendation of the “Guia Penin”, the Spanish equivalent of …

Bought in Spain, using my new copy of the Guia Penin – a cross between the detail of the Guide Hachette des Vins for …

Surprising lack of depth / concentration for a 1996 Rioja. Especially for a Reserva. Nevertheless quite enjoyable. Garnet colour. Slightly toasty notes over cassis …

At last! A wine cracked open for relaxation, and an enjoyable one without qualification! Aromas of black cherry and fresh red peppers, with carefully-matched …

Label on this disintegrated totally no matter what tricks I used to remove it! But the label was cool enough and the wine interesting …

Well blended dark fruit and oak. Garnet red colour tinged with brown. Blackcurrant fruit blends with chocolatey aromas. Still plenty of tannin, suggesting would …

Very smooth (velvety?) deep red wine. Dark berry flavours (if memory serves at the time of writing). Restaurant price was 6,250 ESP, I think …

First drank this in Tiger Tiger, Haymarket. Oak ageing combined with deep red fruit comes through on the nose as rice pudding (hot) with …

Yet to find a better bargain. Not the greatest Rioja – but for <£5 it certainly is. Very oaky so needs to breathe for …

1994 – v. good year – wine has some smokiness on the nose, with light vanilla oakiness, and some blackcurrant. Some liquorice on the …