It had been a long time since I tried this ubiquitous Rioja wine. It is still very good and an excellent value at around $15. Purple/garnet in color. The nose is nice with spice, cherries and slight black cherries. With air some vanilla comes out. On the palate, this is soft and accessible. Light tannins. Cherries and slight dill. Good finish. This will work with almost any food.
A very nice bottle of Rioja that also happens to be Kosher. This vintage is still available for around $25, but younger vintages can be found for under $15. Ruby in color, clear and bright. The nose is dusty with cherries and slight dill. Still has some firm tannins, but the overall texture is soft. Lots of cherries and some sour cherries on the palate with some underlying dry earthiness. Good acidity. Nice finish. For those looking for Kosher wines, this is a nice alternative and will go great with seafood but also chicken. This bottle is 5 years from vintage and drinking great, b
This is a nice value red from the Rioja region of Spain. It retails for around $16 which is a great price for a nice red. Ruby/purple in color. The nose is dusty with cherries. On the palate, there are cherries and some tobacco. Slight tannins. Good balance. There is some depth/complexity here but this is not a wine to be aged. That said, if well stored it should be good for at least five more years. Works well with a wide variety of food.
This is the basic wine from this great, traditional winery. Purchased at a Tapas restaurant, this is an excellent value. It is a blend of Tempranillo (65%), Garnacho (25%), and the rest Mazuelo and Graciano. Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose is great with cherries, slight dill, tobacco and slight mushrooms. Medium bodied. Great balance. On the palate, loads of fresh cherry fruit with just a bit of dried over a dry tobacco base. Some spice. Nice finish. This is nice on its own but worked even better with a series of small Tapas plates. Drink over the next eight
This is a lighter, but traditional, Rioja. Garnet in color, clear and bright. The nose is a bit earthy with fresh cherries and a whiff of tobacco. Light to medium bodied. Light tannins. Good acidity. On the palate, flavors of cherries with a bit of char. Anise on the finish. This drinks easily and should for the next five to seven years. Nice on its own, this would be a great mid week meatloaf or pizza wine.
Brought back from Spain by a neighbor after meeting with the owners. This is drinking well now and traditional. Ruby in color. The nose is dusty with cherries and slight dried dill. On the palate, this seems to be just slightly past prime but still drinking well. Dried and fresh cherries with no tannins. Easy drinking. Food friendly. A very good value although drinking in the first couple of years from vintage is a good idea.
