Rioja – Page 2

SPECIAL OFFER ON A CLASSIC ‘ESTATE’ RIOJA

As you surely know if you have been seeing our offers for any length of time, we have been fans of the talented folks at CVNE. But among their three separate, high performance wineries, Contino holds a special place for us. Back in the early 90s, before the coming of the ‘Spanish invasion’ lead by Jorge Ordonez and Eric Solomon, there were two wineries that kind of opened our eyes to the world of Spanish wines in general. One of them was Contino (the other was Mauro for reference sake). We have plying the varied wares from CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte del España, aka Cune) under their Contino, Vina Real and Imperial labels, ever since.

That means there is almost always something exciting from them coming under one of those three labels, all of which are run as separate wineries. Among them Contino has a somewhat unique position. The Cune people refer to Contino as the ‘first chateau in Rioja’, a reference to the comparison between this property and the typical profile of a Bordeaux chateau. The estate is formed by 62 hectares of vineyard in Rioja Alavesa, considered the best of the three regional designations in Rioja (Baja, Alta, and Alavesa). Contino, as it exists today was founded in 1973. The history of the property itself dates from the 16th century, and that history is reflected in its name. The “contino” was the officer in charge of the guard corps of a hundred soldiers who protected the royal family “de contino” (continuously) from the times of the Catholic Monarchs onwards.

A single vineyard wine is still a pretty rare thing in Rioja, though that is changing somewhat with a surge of winemakers passionate about establishing more specific ‘village’ and ‘pago’ (vineyard) identities. We have done a number of offers on Contino over the years, our last missive on the Rioja Gran Reserva 2012. This time around where highlighting the Contino Reserva 2014 for a couple of reasons. One, of course, is that it is really good again (no surprise). The other that we can offer an even better price ($10 less!) than we offered the 2009 and 2010 Reservas a while back.

This Reserva is made up of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% a combination of Mazuelo y Garnacha. The wine is made in the traditional manner and placed in barrels already used oak (40% American and 60% French) where it remained for two years plus the additional minimum of two more years in bottle aging in the cellars until it is released to the market. Bright red and black fruits, spice and earth nuances, a cool feel to the flavors, it is long, well woven, and refined. While the vintage itself is not as heralded as, say, 2001 or 2010, these folks did a fabulous job and kept it true to the style of the house. Terroir does matter, too, and while some Riojanos got some rain in 2014, it was dry in this unique microclimate and healthy grapes were harvested without issues .

Like a Bordeaux, this wine exudes elegance. Unlike a Bordeaux chateau, this ‘current release’ already has bottle age, though it will live a couple of decades more should that be one’s wish. The 2014 also has the usual battery of reviews including 92s from Wine Advocate, Vinous Media, and Wine Enthusiast, 90 from Wine Spectator and Decanter, 93 from Spanish publication Peñan Guide and a substantial ‘95’ from British reviewer Tim Atkins. If everybody likes it, that is the greatest testament. We liked it a lot ourselves for its classic elegance and lovely integration.

As for words, Vinous Media Spanish reviewer Josh Raynolds made the point, “Deep brilliant ruby. Smoke-accented cherry, black raspberry, mocha and licorice scents are energized by suggestions of candied rose and cracked pepper. Sweet and concentrated on the palate, offering smoky, intense red and dark berry flavors that slowly become more lively with air. Smoothly blends power and energy and finishes very long and spicy, with rounded tannins and lingering florality.”

The best part is, probably because they are itching to get their hands on the highly publicized 2015 and 2016 vintages, the purveyor gave us a ‘clear the decks’ price of $29.98 (list is $51) for the Contino Rioja Reserva 2014 provided we keep it on the ‘down low’. The price will appear at checkout. Good hunting, quantities are limited.

ULTIMATE ‘INSIDER’ RIOJA FROM LA RIOJA ALTA

We see ‘wine clubs’ operating in California all the time. The direct-to-consumer programs are the life blood of a number of domestic producers. But wine selling in Europe seems to generally work rather differently. In most top chateaux in Bordeaux, for example, there are no gifts shops or trinkets, and you can’t even buy a bottle of wine. So the idea of direct-to-consumer/wine club type programs doesn’t even cross our minds when we’re over the ‘pond’. That’s why when Kyle saw a bunch of wines displayed at one of our favorite Spanish wineries, La Rioja Alta, that he had never seen before, he posed a question.

“What are these?” he asked. The Bodega answered that these wines, designated Reserva Club de Cosecheros (loosely translated ‘vintage reserve club’), were specially selected barrels for wine club members of the bodega that committed to about a half barrel per year (roughly twelve cases) and received a yearly allocation of the wines. The wines were not available for sale in any other fashion, but the seed was planted. If these were specially selected for ‘members only’ from one of our long-time favorite Spanish bodegas, what’s the downside? Answer, there isn’t one.

That impression was pretty much burned into the memory banks and the search was on. Recently, one of our purveyors, the one who has been the source of the lion’s share of the great old Riojas we have been proffering over the last six or seven years, presented us with a list that included several bottlings of Reserva Club de Cosecheros. We bought every bottle they had of the six best vintages without hesitation. We opened a bottle of each literally right offf the truck. It was Kyle’s gift to himself for his 50^th birthday and the tasting was fascinating for Rioja-heads like us.

It was a memorable showing of classic Spanish Rioja, with the general style falling somewhere between Las Rioja Alta’s refined, lifted Vina Ardanza and the more fruit forward, though still unmistakably Rioja ‘904’ Gran Reserva. Tasting them side-by-side, it was a fantastic demonstration of the differences between these outstanding vintages, with the youngest (the 2004) starting to really open up and the oldest (the 1989) showing some resolved tannins and more tender edges but still with, as Clive Coates used to say, ‘bags of life’ left at 30 years of age. Sadly, the 1994 was a solo bottle but we’ve got reasonable quantities of the other (3 to 5 cases each).

Don’t bother looking for scores. The press doesn’t see these, and what would be the point anyway since they are only for club members. These likely came from restaurant ‘members’ or private collections in Spain. In fact, almost no one sees these outside of the winery and their club. We’re pretty confident in saying that these are probably the only bottles in the country. If you are a Rioja lover, these are a must…classic old school elegance, bright fruit, ageless demeanors. These are special, insider wines.

We’re not the least bit pressed to sell them but feel obligated to give the folks who support our expansive Spanish program a chance at something you don’t see every day, or in this case ever. We’d suggest nibbling on a variety of vintages instead of focusing on just one as we think that will provide the most fulfilling experience. In any case, give these a serious look soon. Prices range from $69.98-79.98, certainly great prices for one-of-a-kind reservas with this kind of bottle age. Since we have never sold them before, we have no idea how long they might be around. Then again, we might come to our senses and decide to keep them. Salud.

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 2004

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 2001

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 1995

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 1991

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 1989

LOPEZ DOES IT AGAIN: CUBILLO 2011

We’ll skip the part about what huge fans of Rioja we are, and how they continue to be some of the most compelling values in the wine market. It’s not like we haven’t said it before…a lot! This time were going to get specific. About 2 years ago, we did an offer with the 2011 Cune Imperial, making the point that James Suckling chose to score the 2011 higher than the vaunted 2010. The 2010 vintage was epic in Rioja, while 2011 was very good but much warmer and not as ‘classic’ as 2010. We wondered what possessed him to ‘go against the grain’ and score the 2011 higher than the ’10. Then we tasted it.

There are lots of ways to look at a wine. The 2010 ‘checked all the boxes’, structure, balance, great fruit, it was all there. But any self-respecting hedonist would choose the 2011, a layered, gushing, fruit forward mouthful of joy that erred on the side of deliciousness. We recall that offer because when we saw the newest release of the Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Cubillo, the 2011, we were musing if it was going to be another such awakening. We had deified the 2010 Cubillo as the best we could recall among all of the vintages that we had tasted since we started selling this iconic Rioja producer many years ago. But the thought of a plusher, gushing Cubillo was certainly an enticing proposition.

As it turned out, here the proverbial ‘leopard’ did not change its spots, at least not very much anyway. Yes, this was a more outgoing Cubillo, relatively speaking. The great ripeness of the vintage showed itself primarily in the bluer toned fruit that was the focal point of the wine. There was more cassis and plum to the flavor spectrum, and perhaps a touch more evident spice with in that core of fruit. But the leather, earth, balsamic, structure and pedigree were not vastly altered by a rather different harvest.

Lopez being Lopez? Absolutely, and all the better for it. Had we not had the 2010, we might be inclined to say that this 2011 was something of a ‘best ever’ effort. The bottom line is that this is a spectacular, structured delicious bottle of Rioja that deserves it own time in the spotlight. Did this once again meet our expectations? You bet! Just not quite in the way we expected. They still do things the old-fashioned way. While Tempranillo is the dominant grape, Lopez still uses 10-15% Grenache in the mix with a little Graciano and Mazuelo. All from estate vineyards, this wine saw three years in barrel (more like a Gran Reserva), was racked twice a year, after which it is bottled unfiltered.

Once again, we were not alone in our praise. As for the critics, the reviews are pretty darn close to those for the esteemed 2010, as they should be. Luis Gutierrez from Wine Advocate put it this way, “It’s not easy to follow a 2010, but the 2011 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza improves with time in the glass, showing much better than expected. 2011 was a warmer year than the 2010, and the wine is a little riper but has great balance and very good harmony. It’s a noteworthy red for the price asked…92 points.” That’s one point under the 2010 and remember there are much bigger dogs in Lopez’ cellar that also get tasted

James Suckling’s score was the same as last year’s, “Cubillo spends three years in barrique and then in larger cask to await bottling, which happens two years before the expected release. This is very fresh on the nose with quite fresh, ripe blackberries and dark cherries, mahogany and dry, woody spices. The palate is very powerful, juicy and fresh with clear black cherries and plums in abundance. So fresh, fleshy and deep. The freshness is impressive. Long, shell-like tannins. Drink or hold…95 Points.”

As to Lopez de Heredia, there is little we need to say about this icon of traditional Spanish winemaking founded in 1892. We have tasted virtually every level of wine they produce, including some historic older bottlings, and have never been disappointed even given pretty high expectations. They do all the right things to create the wines they want to make and charge very attractive prices for the various levels offered. Even in these crazy times, where there are mad deals at every turn, and tariffs trying to spoil some wines’ positioning in the marketplace, this wine still shines as a refined, well made, attractively-priced, high quality choice.

ANOTHER DELICIOUS ‘WORKHORSE’ RIOJA

With all of the choices there are out there these days, we understand it can be pretty overwhelming. There are new areas performing all the time, vintages change and there are fresh, new faces on the scene regularly. We see new wines constantly. These days a disproportionate number of them in the value categories, including quite a few that have gained popularity in recent years, taste more of the ‘lab’ than the vineyard. We don’t apologize for being somewhat traditional in our approach. Trendy is fine, but a lot of things that have performed admirably for a long time should not be ignored for the sake of fashion. If they offer a sense of place and excellent value, all the better.

One of the reasons we are such evangelists for Spanish wines in general, and Rioja in particular, is that it gives us all of those things. This message never gets old. Great Rioja producers offer some of the most complete and satisfying wine deals out there, and in that field Cvne has been a major force for a long time. Cvne (which stands for Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España though everybody calls them ‘Cune’) successfully operates three separate wineries with three different styles. All three have been on these pages multiple times over the years, at many different price levels, with good reason.

In the CVNE lineup, a wine entity that can trace its roots back to 1879, Viña Real is a relatively newcomer being ‘born’ in the 1920s with their focus on creating crianza wines from Rioja Alavesa. Those crianzas have been consistent players around here for a long time with relatively few gaps. They are consistently some of the best buys in the wine world. We’ll say that without hesitation. Of course when a vintage is particularly stellar, everything is amped up a little more. In other words what is ‘always good’ is that much better in an exceptional vintage. As we were doing our research, we noted the last time we did a big offer on the Crianza was with the epic 2010. The Vina Real Rioja Crianza 2016 is also from an exceptional vintage and delivers again beyond expectations for a wine of this price.

The Vina Real Rioja Crianza 2016 is a blend of 90% Tempranillo with the balance made up of Mazuelo, Garnacha, and Graciano that sees 13-14 months in barrel. Ripe plums, blackcurrant, high toned spices and subtle flashes of oak and balsamic, this is elegant and bright, but can stand up to hearty meat dishes yet whose supple edges and ripe tannins do not preclude applications with fish or fowl. The 2016 is a particularly engaging rendition, with the kind of tender fruit and easy going demeanor to make it far too easy to quaff. It is important to note that this Rioja was produced and bottled on the estate. Very few wines from anywhere in this price range can say that.

This is one of those appealing reds that, given its track record, shouldn’t need scores to sell it in a vintage like this. But we have some anyway. From Wine Spectator, “This red is dense and focused, with cherry, berry and vanilla flavors that emerge as the tannins give way, leading to a floral and spicy finish. Drink now through 2031…91 Points”

From Luis Gutierrez of Wine Advocate, ‘… It’s expressive, deliciously aromatic, floral and elegant, reflecting a cool year that delivered fresh wines that seem to be very approachable early on. 2016 is a pretty vintage, but this wine is not banal; it has depth and complexity that’s remarkable for the price point. The palate is fresh and balanced, with fine tannins…91 Points.”

This sub-$15 wine can play with everything from simple tapas to a roast bird to a tomahawk ribeye, or you can just drink it. But, more to the point, the list of choices of super tasty, well-made, well-reviewed, estate-bottled, honest wines at this kind of price is a rather short one. Viva España.

“MURDERERS’ ROW” FROM VEGA SICILIA

A lot of folks think a busy day for a typical wine merchant is a gala luncheon, an afternoon tasting of rare, high-end wines, and some sort of producer-centric dinner. For some that may be true. We tend to be a lot more clinical about it. While we are certainly going to take a hard look at every such offer we get, there is concern as to what sort of good the event will do for our experience, our knowledge, and the business as a whole. Spending 2-3 hours to taste five or six wines, though potentially enjoyable, isn’t necessarily the most efficient use of our time.

As we think back over the years, there are only a couple of reoccurring events that we have said yes to without hesitation. One of them is Vega Sicilia. We have been huge fans for a long time and have championed their Alion Ribera del Duero (founded 1991) and Pintia Toro (founded 2001) virtually since inception. The wines have steadily improved over the years as the Alvarez family (who bought Vega Sicilia in 1982) has upped their game both by becoming more tuned in with their individual terroirs and how to get the most out of them.

Each property has its own timetable for release, and this year’s lineup was arguably the best ever, in part because each of the wines came from benchmark vintages (2015, 2016, and 2010) and were highpoint efforts within each of their ongoing series. If money was no object, these would definitely qualify as desert island/self-quarantine wines. This was as impressive a ‘rollout’ as we can recall, hence the ‘Murderers Row’/’27 Yankees reference.

Not surprisingly the Benjamin de Rothschild Vega Sicilia Rioja Macan Clasico 2016 , a joint effort between Vega Sicilia and Rothschild, has the greatest resemblance to a Bordeaux than its siblings, yet retains its ‘Spanish accent’. Made completely from Tempranillo, apparently in a brand new gravity flow winery, this is the ‘junior’ if the two bottlings here but we found it more complete front to back than it’s more expensive stablemate. There is more insistent oak influence here than the other bottlings we will talk about, but the vanilla and toast notes are all beautifully integrated with the cassis and earth aspects the the vineyard itself imparts.

Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez notes, “In 2016, they fermented the wine in stainless steel and reduced the number of new barrels to 50%, while 5% of the barrels were produced with American oak at the Vega Sicilia cooperage. The new winery was 100% ready and now has much better facilities. The élevage lasted 12 months, and this has contained ripeness and integrated oak. The year had freshness and balance and helped to produce lighter and more expressive wines, like this one. This has to be one of the finest vintages for this cuvée…93+ points.”

If there was a ‘best performer’ that day relative to its station, it was the Vega Sicilia Pintia Toro 2015. The vintage surely contributed to the wine’s relative tenderness and evident opulence, and the expansive, super fleshy fruit that defines the region was in full array. Lots of care in the vineyard here with hand harvesting into small crates and double sorting followed by 100% malolactic in a combination of 70% French and 30% American oak then a 12-month sojourn in barrel. Pintia is usually ‘big medicine’, but this classically full-throttle effort is also more user friendly out of the gate. Dangerously so as, in this warm vintage, the wine clocks 15% alcohol though they did a fabulous job of keeping the wine’s freshness.

Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez handed this one a 94 with comments, “…even if the wine is powerful and tannic, it has good balance and the tannins are fine-grained. This has reached a good balance between power and elegance.” James Sucklings note gets right to the point, “A very structured and intense Pintia with lots of blackberry, chocolate and cedar character. Full body. Yet, it’s more refined than in past vintages. One of the more balanced bottlings from this winery. Delicious already…95 points.” Amen to that.

The fined tuned winemaking practiced at Pintia is, not surprisingly, also employed at Alion. The difference is the clone (locals are insistent that Tinto del Toro and Tinto Fino are markedly different clones…we agree). Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez gives the technical version, “The highly anticipated Vega Sicilia Alion Ribera Del Duero 2016 spent 12 months in oak barrels, 80% of them new and built mainly with French oak but with some 5% American oak, and some 10% of the volume matured in 15,000-liter concrete vats. It hits the scale at 15% alcohol and has moderate acidity, showing ripe black fruit and a creamy texture. 2016 has to be one of the freshest and most elegant vintages of Alión, a year with depth, freshness and terrific balance. Same as they do in Pintia, they are finding ways to lower the impact of the oak in the wine…95 points.”

From the hedonists perspective, James Suckling puts it this way, “A very savory and succulent Alion with so much complexity of flavor with berries, chocolate and dried meat. Some cedar, too. Full body. Vertical and very long. Purity of fruit and tannins to this wine. Needs two or three years to soften. Release in 2020. Better after 2022…96 points.” It showed more ‘bones’, especially alongside the Pintia. But there’s a lot to like and it will perform nicely with a little air and last a decade or two in the cellar. An exceptional Alion overall, one of the best.

For reference, the Valbuena is essentially a ‘second’ wine of Vega Sicilia , though Senor Alvarez was clearly not down with calling it that. It is always released on its fifth birthday. We have had several vintages of Valbuena but this is by far the most open and engaging, relatively speaking. Often this wine is so structured it is hard to grasp early on. For that reason Vega Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5o 2015 kind of took us by surprise. Don’t get us wrong. This is no little quaffer by any stretch. But the fact that there is more flesh on the evident structure is a pleasant departure. According to notes we read, there has been an effort to make Valbuena a bit more compelling. Mission accomplished.

Valbuena didn’t usually play that well with the critics by and large either. But over the last seven vintages it has held its own with some of the world’s great ‘first’ wines. From Wine Advocate, “The 2015 Valbuena, a red blend of mostly Tempranillo with some 5% Merlot, is released in the fifth year after the harvest. It’s explosive and showy, with a complex nose that shows a mixture of flowers and wild herbs, balsamic touches and great nuance…96 points.”

Once again Suckling speaks from the heart, “The aromas to this are so complex and enticing with nutmeg, dark berries, chocolate and white pepper. Full body. Dense and layered with so much wonderful, complex and succulent character. It just makes you want to drink it. Drink or hold…97 points.” Both scores were high water marks for this bottling.

In all honesty, you probably don’t need us to tell you about the Vega Sicilia Unico 2010. Seriously, this is from one of the world’s greatest wineries in one of Spain’s greatest vintages. In our minds it’s like telling you to buy Lafite or Romanee Conti, or it should be. Suffice it to say this is ‘one for the ages’ that will last as long as you want it too. A 97 from Wine Advocate and a 99 from James Suckling, this is rarified air. Gutierrez had an intriguing observation, “…It feels quite ripe and somehow old style, dominated by ripe black fruit, with a rustic and earthy touch. It has an ample palate, concentrated and powerful, with some earthy tannins.”

In other words classic Vega Sicilia with this effort having a certain timelessness that connects with its past yet offers its own story. Suckling cheerleads again, “This is still very tight and closed with so much depth and beauty. The linear line to this is very vertical and draws you down. It shows intense blackberry, dark-chocolate, hazelnut and walnut character. Full body. Chewy yet extremely polished. Precise. Shows decadence. So drinkable already, but better in 2022.” A must for serious collectors to say the least.

SUPERB ‘BURGUNDIAN’ RIOJA

The wines of La Rioja Alta have been ‘fan favorites’ around here for quite some time, with the majority of the rather impressive sales numbers coming from their La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Viña Ardanza and Gran Reserva 904. But this group owns three other estates as well, one in Rias Baixas to make Albariño, one in Ribera del Duero, and another separate estate in Rioja Alavesa called Torre de Oña. The Torre de Oña estate hasn’t gotten near as much attention over the years, but that may be about to change as they have significantly kicked up their game with a new project.

The main La Rioja Alta estate was founded in 1890. But more than a century later, in 1995, they decided to create a new estate in the cooler, higher, and arguably more prestigious Rioja Alavesa. Here the intent was to employ a ‘chateau’ concept, controlling the viticulture and making wine from their estate grapes. We’ve had interesting efforts on occasion from Torre de Oña but nothing really groundbreaking. All the while, they were studying the specific parcels on the estate that produced the best grapes with the intent of bottling a single vineyard effort that best reflected their unique terroir.

While that doesn’t sound all that innovative, the ‘chateau’ type operation wasn’t all that common in Rioja until recently. Now folks like Artadi and Telmo Rodriguez are lobbying to have even more specific delineations to village areas and specific parcels. In any case, the folks at Torre de Oña decided that, in 2012, it was time to pull the trigger on their first single vineyard bottling from the estate. The reviews were encouraging for seemed something of an experimental first-swing. It got supportive words and a 92 point score from Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez.

The winery skipped 2013 but deemed the conditions near perfect in 2014 to create the sequel, and what a revelation it turned out to be! Since the Advocate review explains all of the technical details, we’ll defer a moment. From Luis Gutierrez, “The 2014 Martelo is produced with the grapes from their oldest vines, mostly Tempranillo (95%, the balance Mazuelo, Garnacha and Viura), put through a cold soak after alcoholic fermentation then in barrique for a slow malolactic fermentation of 96 days. This was followed by an élevage in 80% American and 20% French oak barrels for two years, during which time it was racked four times…

“It has incredible aromatics with surprising notes of beef blood, iron and meat with tons of fruit, as Martelo is the vineyard where they find more fruit. This is a very elegant, aromatic and fine Rioja (they decided to bottle it in a Burgundy bottle) and it’s not a coincidence, because that is what they are looking for. The palate follows the same path of finesse, balance and freshness. A very impressive Rioja. Bravo!…94 points”

Bravo, indeed. The Burgundian comparisons hold remarkably true. Texturally, this is silky, elegant, feminine (can we say that any more?), and supremely satisfying. The fruit leans a little bluer than a ‘real’ Burgundy but the finesse, tender mouth feel, and fresh undercurrent of the palate seduces and the delicate spice and mineral tones add complexity. Thoroughly delicious right out of the gate, and a bottle one won’t want to end. The comparison with Burgundy kind of stops there because, in reality, you would be hard pressed to find a Burgundy as good as the Torre de Ona Rioja Reserva Finca Martino 2014 for this kind of price. Simply gorgeous.

RIGHTEOUS RIOJA

Over the years A LOT of La Rioja Alta juice has passed through these doors. But, for reasons we can’t really put our finger on, not a lot of this particular bottling. Part of that is that it isn’t bottled every year. In this case, this is also the first Vina Arana (2012) to have a Gran Reserva designation, making definitely worth highlighting even as we have an epic version of the Vina Ardanza (2010) on the floor.

As the winery tells it, “A vintage marked by drought, resulting in very heterogeneous grapes. Late September rains had a very positive effect on vine development, resulting in perfect ripening. The grapes arrived in perfect condition with a great balance between alcoholic strength and polyphenols, leading to wines of superb quality, with good polyphenolic structure and magnificent aromatic tipicity, key traits for making aged wines and determinant in our decision to make our first ever Viña Arana Gran Reserva.” In simple terms, this Rioja rocks!

The star of the show is Tempranillo (95%) from 40-year-old vines from Las Cuevas, El Palo and Las Monjas vineyards in Rodezno complemented with 5% Graciano from the Montecillo estate in Fuenmayor. This is everything you could ask from a Rioja in the classic sense. There’s plenty of round, supple-yet-lifted and energetic plum and blackcurrant fruit with flecks of spice, tobacco, damp earth, and dried orange. Impressive from start to finish, harmonious, and textbook Rioja, this is one where the bottle just doesn’t seem quite big enough. Super deliciosa!

James Suckling clearly ‘got it’, commenting, “Brambleberries, licorice, dried blueberries, cedar, tobacco, smoke, vanilla, dried citrus and even a hint of grapefruit. The laser-sharp acidity evinces a real sense of purity, and the tannins are really edgy and structured. Full-bodied but very elegant and stylish. The finish goes on and on, thanks to the shimmering acidity. Beautiful now…95 points.”

Y MAS RIOJA BUENA

Had it been another time, this wine might well have gotten a much bigger presentation. But this seems to be a particularly fortuitous period for the genre as a whole. As those who know us well know, we firmly believe there can never be too much great Rioja. But there are only so many major features we can do in a certain time period, even in one of our favorite categories, lest we change our name to “Rioja Exchange”. Still with back-to-back excellent vintages in 2015 and 2016 hitting the market, plus some late-arriving specialty 2010s, our copa runneth over.

The wines of the Marquis de Murrieta have been a pretty consistent favorite around here because they hit all the key aspects in a couple of categories. We are particular fans of their reserve bottlings for all the right reasons. When they are on (which is most of the time), the style presents plenty of engaging, spicy black fruits like plum and cassis with a rather modern forward nature, but plenty of the supple edges and surprising complexity that makes Rioja what it is.

Knowing that we had been long-time supporters of the brand, the purveyor presented us with the 2014 version of the Marquis de Murrieta Rioja Reserva on three (or was it four?) separate occasions. It was adequate, but just not at the level that we know that it can be. When the 2015 came along we were again back on board. This is a pretty, round, engaging red with supple edges, plenty of character, and the kind of price that allows it to be more than just a ‘special occasion’ bottling.

This Marquis de Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2015, granted from a very successful vintage overall, shows the kind of sweet fruit core, spice and toast elements, and front to back harmony that will win more friends for the genre. This is just a lush, versatile and pleasing bottle of Rioja that is exciting in and of itself. But if you are concerned about reviews, it also equaled the highest score given in the series by Wine Advocate (along with the 2010 and, curiously, the 2014), a 93.

The Advocate commentary provides some technical data also aligns with our own thoughts, “The red blend 2015 Rioja Reserva is 80% Tempranillo with 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha, a little more Graciano and Mazuelo, something logical in ripe and warm years like 2015. It’s produced with grapes from a diversity of the 30 different plots within the estate, to represent the character of if. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for 18 months. It’s spicy and somewhat balsamic, with some dusty tannins. It’s a ripe and powerful vintage…”

Good stuff, good price, and once again a ‘go-to’ performer.

A CUBILLO FOR THE AGES

What a difference a year makes! As the majority of you who read us regularly are aware, there are likely no greater fans of Rioja, with the possible exception of some of the Riojanos themselves, than we are. One of the rewards of doing this kind of thing, for us, is to get paid for doing something we would do anyway. Today’s exercise gives us the opportunity to talk about a few of our favorite things, specifically one of the revered houses located in Rioja’s ‘holy city’ (Haro), Lopez de Heredia, and one of the greatest vintages we have had the good fortune to experience from the region, 2010.

As to Lopez de Heredia, there is little we need to say about this icon of traditional Spanish winemaking founded in 1892. We have tasted virtually every level of wine they produce, including some historic older bottlings, and have never been disappointed even given pretty high expectations. They do all the right things to create the wines they want to make and charge very attractive prices for the various levels offered. Granted prices have edged up a bit as the world continues to discover the wonders of Rioja, but they are still pretty sensational given the other choices of equal caliber.

As to 2010, it has been a while since we have talked about the vintage. It is a sensational harvest with purity of fruit, ripe tannins, classic lines and fine structure. They are wines that will age decades yet can deliver a glassful of joy next weekend. The Riojanos have definitely been surprisingly low-keyed about the exceptional year, but the rest of the wine world has been unanimous in its praise.

Simply put, releases in Rioja come sort of in waves. For the most part crianzas come out first, followed by reservas and finally gran reservas, all titles very specifically defined by Spanish law based on barrel age and time in bottle. Each winery has their own schedule as to how the wines roll out, though they mostly follow the same level by level pattern we described. Most of the 2010 crianzas and reservas are long gone and we have even moved through a number of the gran reservas. But the top older houses run on a much slower cycle. So we will be seeing a number of the ‘big dogs’ from this great vintage coming out over the next several months. Hallelujah!

As for Lopez de Heredia, they are just beginning on their efforts in 2010 starting with the Lopez de Heredia Rioja Vina Cubillo Crianza 2010, their entry-level bottling. This is where we must make the point again, one of the best houses in one of the best vintages. We have faithfully followed Lopez for years and enjoyed virtually every vintage of Cubillo along the way. This is the best version we have ever tasted by a good bit. Made from 65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, and the rest Mazuelo and Graciano all from estate vineyards, this saw three years in barrel (like a gran reserva) after which it is bottled unfiltered.

Sure it has all of the accustomed sweet cherry and plum fruit, dusty/spicy classic Rioja accents and underpinning of vanilla and balsamic. But there is more weight, power and richness in the midpalate, impeccable balance between the fruit and tannins and a remarkable but refined presence in the glass. Over the course of several hours it evolved glacially, so packed and structured, yet it never ceased to impress. We dare say it is better than some of their Tondonia and Bosconia bottlings we have had in the past, yet this surprising beverage can be had for under $25. Amazing? You bet!

But that’s Rioja, that’s Lopez, and the greatness of 2010.

We were not alone in our praise. Luis Gutierrez of robertparker.com wrote, “The 2010 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza is superb and shows great depth and nuance, with great freshness, and the red cherries are complemented by notes of blood oranges, nutmeg and other spices. It has a soft and harmonious palate, with great balance and very good freshness. – 93 Points!”

Given James Suckling’s usual brevity of comments, this is a virtual tome, “Cubillo is a very focused and quite crisp style of red that has spent three years in barrique and then in larger cask to wait for bottling, which happens two years before the expected release. The richness and depth of complex dried wood and spice here is seamlessly sewn into the dried red and dark cherries. The palate is pinned around a fresh-blackberry core that marries still sweet fruit to more savory style. Long and balanced. The tannins are fine yet assertive. It freshens into the finish nicely. Drink or hold…95 Points!”

Great house, great vintage, great price, this one checks all the boxes! This is not to be missed.

A ‘GIFT’ FOR YOU

Nobody brings the value drama like the Spaniards, and that goes for every conceivable price level. Izadi was founded in 1987 when the estate was purchased by the Anton family, who then hired Mariano Garcia (formerly Vega Sicilia, now Mauro and Aalto) as a consultant. This bottling is from what is considered by the Anton family to be their premier site, El Regalo, a single vineyard of Tempranillo planted in 1940 on a terroir of chalky limestone clay covered with pebbles near the village of Villabuena de Álava.

‘El Regalo’ means ‘the gift’ in Spanish, and the family clearly considers this bottling a gift of Nature from this unique plot. Hand harvested grapes from 70+ year old vines that are ‘practicing organically’ farmed certainly have the potential to make exciting wine. The press (94 Decanter, 91 James Suckling, 91 Wine Advocate) seems to confirm that happened here. Firmly committed to straddling the stylistic spectrum between traditional and modern, the wine makes no reference to the typical crianza, reserve, etc. hierarchy. It is merely “el Regalo”. The wine sees 20 months in new French oak, more of a nod to the modern side.

The Wine Advocate shows the Izadi Rioja El Regalo 2014 at a $30 retail. But with the current wholesale scenario of a staggering number of brands being offered through a small number of purveyors, there’s a limit to how much the ‘team on the street’ can sell in a given time period, or how committed they are to going beyond just selling the ‘easy ones’. In such an environment, even some really good juice gets lost in the shuffle and the only way to create interest at that point is a hot price, like almost 50% off. At $16.98, this wine becomes even more of a ‘regalo’ (gift). While it lasts.