Rioja
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Bodega Lanzaga Rioja Lanzaga 2017WA94$34.98Availability:In Stock94 Points! The 2017 Lanzaga comes from a harvest marked by the killer frost (-5 degrees Celsius) of April 27th and 28th, but the higher-altitude vines from the village of Lanciego escaped the disaster. This is a blend from their 15 to 20 hectares of organically farmed vines, all head-pruned on slopes rich in clay and limestone, mixing red and white soils, places with more sandstone, others with more marl, looking for complexity. It fermented in 6,000-liter concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in 1,500- and 2,500-liter oak foudres and 225-liter barriques for 14 months. It has great balance and freshness, it's very clean and doesn't show any of the challenges or shortages of the harvest. It's creamy, juicy and medium-bodied, with very fine tannins, a serious wine that changed in 2013-2014 to this complexity and depth. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com
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Cuentaviñas Rioja Alomado 2018JD93$54.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! Coming from the Ribarrey Vineyard, which was planted to Tempranillo, Viura, and Malvasia in 1960, the 2018 Alomado offers a gorgeous bouquet of black raspberry and currant fruits intermixed with plenty of cigar tobacco, toasted spices, flowers, and espresso nuances. This carries to a more medium-bodied red that has a lively, elegant texture, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. A wine that builds nicely with air, it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 10-15. - Jeb Dunnuck Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 4 LEFT! -
Bodega Lanzaga Rioja La Estrada 2017JS96WA94Special Price $79.98 Regular Price $104.98Availability:In Stock94 Points! The 2017 La Estrada, one of the new single-vineyard bottlings produced since 2014 comes from a northeast-facing 0.64-hectare plot, one of the highest vineyards in the village of Lanciego, at 610 meters in altitude, which helped to avoid the effect of the spring frost of 2017. It fermented in open-top 3,000-liter oak vat and matured in a combination of foudres and barriques for 14 to 16 months. For me, La Estrada and El Velado are in a different quality level than Tabuerniga and Las Beatas. This has a very Rioja character, with a faint rusticity, ripeness and some dusty tannins, but still very fresh for the conditions of the year. 1,932 bottles were filled in May 2019. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 3 LEFT! -
Bodega Lanzaga Rioja El Velado 2017JS96WA93$89.98Availability:Out of Stock93 Points! The higher-altitude vineyards like some of the ones used for the 2017 El Velado resisted the spring frost of the year better, and despite being riper, the wine has managed to keep its poise and balance. This comes from a plot at 600 meters altitude planted 80+ years ago. Like the rest, it fermented in open 3,000-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in barriques and foudres for some 15 months. They have kept the Burgundian bottle here because there is more Garnacha. This is a little more straightforward, with less complexity compared with the other single-vineyard bottlings, a lactic touch and a chalky tannins. 1,524 bottles were filled in May 2019. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn More -
Bodegas Bilbainas Rioja Gran Reserva Clarete Fino 1964$199.98Availability:In StockHURRY, ONLY 5 LEFT! -
La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Viña Ardanza 2016JS95WA94+$34.98Availability:In Stock94+ Points! The 2016 Viña Ardanza Reserva was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha that matured in used American oak barrels for three years, where it was hand-racked from barrel to barrel six times in the case of Tempranillo and five times for the Garnacha, as it had a slightly shorter élevage of 30 months. Against all odds, I found the 2016 to be fresher than the 2015 and less developed, despite the fact that winemaker Julio Sáenz told me he considers it a warmer year. But I have found many wines I like in 2016, and the wine feels very clean and quite harmonious, younger and less developed, with more primary notes and a velvety mouthfeel. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com
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Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2012WA93$38.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! The more traditional 2012 Gran Reserva comes from one of the driest years on record. It's mostly Tempranillo with some 3% Graciano matured in American oak barrels, 25% of them new, for 26 months, despite which, the wine is not excessively oaky. They wanted to keep the traditional profile but adjusted the toast on the barrels to adjust the excessive vanilla and coconut. This is structured, powerful, ripe without excess, spicy and balsamic, developing the bouquet, still young and with very good balance. It should be long lived. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com
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Urbina Rioja Crianza 2012DEC90VM90$19.98Availability:In Stock90 Points! From the north-west of the Rioja Alta sub-region, and farmed at altitude, these Tempranillo grapes are resourceful in the extreme, their fruits in a strong vintage such as 2012 just coming round now, nearly 10 years on. Impressive, indeed, for a crianza. Raspberry and cassis, with a hint of briary, charcuterie and smoke; then the palate which is just reaching the plateau of drinkability, the tannins now mature, the fruit now ceding to more savoury notes; a little menthol kick on the finish working really well. Great value. - Decanter Magazine
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Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja Gran Reserva 2016WE94JS93$34.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! Complex nose with a creamy overlay of walnuts, pine needles and sweet spices on top of the black cherries and blackberries. Full-bodied and intense with powerful, compact tannin that wraps up the fleshy black fruit. Quite long and tight. Better after 2024. - JamesSuckling.com
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Muga Rioja Blanco 2021JS92WA91$16.98Availability:In Stock92 Points! Very fresh with aromas of lemon pith, white grapefruit, crushed shells and slate. Some biscuits and salted yellow plums. Medium-bodied with beautiful minerality and freshness. Vivid finish. Blend of viura, white grenache and malvasia. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com
91 Points! The white 2021 Blanco was produced with a blend of Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía de Rioja that fermented in oak vats and new French barriques and matured with the lees and two bâtonnages per week in the beginning and later daily for a total of four months. It's balsamic, a little medicinal and aromatic. They keep growing in Garnacha Blanca with very good results. It's light and fresh, with very clean aromas and flavors. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com
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Telmo Rodriguez Rioja Yjar 2018JS100WA96+JA98TWI96$119.98Availability:Out of Stock100 Points! Such a deep yet complex and sophisticated nose, showing discretion, perfume and finesse. A hint of violet extract to the black cherries, crushed blueberries and cocoa powder aromas, together with Spanish cigars that slowly evolve to truffle, black pepper, incense and freshly chopped herbs. Juicy, yet really composed and dry, with medium to full body and abundant, immaculately fine-grained tannins that unwind evenly on the palate. A style that is restrainedly plush and refined, showing superb precision, cohesion and length, when you give it enough time in your glass. If Las Beatas is the fine Burgundy, then this would be Telmo Rodriguez’s Rioja answer to world-class Bordeaux. Decant it to let the complexity come through. Drink through the next 20 plus years. - JamesSuckling.com
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Cune Rioja Viña Real Crianza 2019JS93WA91$14.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! High-toned, floral aromas with orange peel and crushed blackberries. Medium-bodied with tight, chewy tannins that are polished and intense. Serious length and focus. Vegan. Very drinkable now, but even better in 2024. - JamesSuckling.com
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La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Non-Vintage (Probably 1960's)$129.98Availability:Out of StockThough Rioja had been established as a quality appellation in 1953 (though unofficially demarcated as such back in the 1920’s) the criteria for aging and selling wines was loose to say the least, meaning that more than a few top producers at the time sold non-vintage bottlings simply because vintage did not matter. Selling wine did. Novel concept. The familiar hierarchy of Crianza – Reserva – Gran Reserva only came into legal effect in 1982. So how old is this La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Non-Vintage? Tough to say. Definitely no younger than the late 1960’s, though we’ve heard rumblings these bottlings were also produced in the 1950’s as well. So, at least 55 years old shall we say, seen as 1968 was an excellent harvest…after that, you’re guess is as good as ours.
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