Riojan investigation

A bit of a Rioja'n exploration at Frank's place as his better half was off to watch the Rooster's capitulation in the NRL.

After we tasted the wines we drew off a couple of glasses to have with bean and chorizo stew.

yeah, that 91 was showing extremely well...the Muga was pretty much past it...might pull that out and tidy it up fairly soonish...The Urbina probably needs a decant but was nice.

• 1991 Bodegas El Coto Rioja Coto de Imaz Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  From Coravin. Vanilla, dusty leather, ripe strawberry and blackcurrant, a little orange peel with time and a slightly meaty note. It's wetly juicy on the palate with strawberry and blackcurrant fruit, slight alcohol warmth, drying talc textured tannins, vanilla and that orange peel note. There is a sense of richness on the finish. Yum.

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• 1994 Bodegas Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of sour strawberry, herbaceous notes - tobacco and tomato leaf, a little white pepper, sweet spice and a dusty, earthy underpin with a little leather. Juicy acid, again the fruit is a little sour, chalky textured drying tannins , a little spice, savoury meaty and leathery notes on the finish but it's a bit meh for me. Probably need to tidy this up fairly pronto...not sure what to have it with...a sense of disappointment perhaps?

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• 1994 Urbina Rioja Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of savoury plums backed by sweet spice, vanilla and a touch of jubey fresh red strawberry. It grows richer and opens on the nose - the fruit gets riper, darker and more vanilla & sweet spice show. It's juicy with touches of black tea joining the spice, black and red fruits, slightly chalky tannins on the medium plus length. It's perhaps a little overdone but i think it's quite nice.

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I have always been an enthusiastic advocate for the Ygay wines...either in their impetuously fruity youth or now, as they start to age. The other wines I pulled out where nice contrasts where I was able to match vintage. The Cune was probably my pick of these (and, with the ygay 05) of the bracket

• 2001 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  From Coravin. Gamey, meaty and funky over sour red currant, vanilla extract initially. The fruit starts to ripen with time in the glass and is joined by little tobacco and tomato leaf as well as a slightly oxidised note and (possibly) a touch of volatility. It has medium plus intensity acidity, chalky, grippy, drying tannins over the top of fresh red fruit. This improves with time, becoming more harmonious. Nice.

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• 2004 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  From Coravin. Meaty, savoury and gamey with ripe wild strawberry, vanilla, a little alcohol prickle, biscuit, sweet spice. Baked eath with time and a little candy floss note. In the mouth the acid, fruit, tannin balance is just about perfect, warm lick of vanilla on the finish completes a good showing. Yum.

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• 2005 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  From Coravin. Meaty, slightly dusty, savoury, vanilla extract over ripe red and black hued fruits, a little cream cheese note. The fruit and oak gain weight in the glass on the nose with time. Juicy medium plus acidity, ripe fruit, alcohol warmth, balanced, harmonious, still very primary and rather lovely.

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• 2001 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  From Coravin. Meaty and savoury initially but with time strawberry, cream, vanilla, sweet spices, slight herbaceous (though not unripe) notes. It also develops some more savoury spices and charcuterie notes. In the mouth it's juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, black tea, fresh red berries, talc textured tannic grip is persistent and long with vanilla and sweet spice joining on the finish. Lovely.

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• 2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  From Coravin. A little black tea note supports red fruits, spice, earth, muted vanilla and, with time, red berry lozenges with touches of almost peppery spcie. In the mouth it's juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, savoury, slightly meaty elements as well as red berries and a slightly silky tannic burr. Wetly enjoyable.

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• 2005 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Baron de Chirel Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  From Coravin. Aromas of biscuit, blackcurrant over red berries, sweet spice, cedar, almost a little boot polish and a sense of concentrate. In the mouth it's equally concentrated (slight extracted?) for me which lends a savoury quality to the fruit which is backed by chalky tannic grip that rather closes down the palate. Hmm.

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well, not that young...I thought the telmo rodriguez was the winner here...

• 2008 Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  From Coravin. Red tends to blackcurrant, a little cork taint, perhaps, or might just be cellar stink, sweet spice, vanilla. Juicy, red and black fruit, vanilla, floury textured tanins dry out the mid palate and it finishes very slightly bitter. Okay.

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• 2013 Bodegas Lanzaga (Telmo Rodriguez) Rioja LZ

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  From Coravin. Fresh and jubey on the nose with red berries dominant - feels like semi carbonic maceration, a little sweet spice, with time some meaty elements. The palate is very much a reflection of the nose with touches of anisee and quite finely textured, though drying, tannins. Kind of nice.

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• 2015 Bodegas Exopto Rioja Vino Horizonte de Exopto

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  From Coravin. A little closed initially, shows mineral notes, strawberries, sweet spcie. a little alcohol warmth. Juicy acidity, chalky tannins are drying and the fruit proves quite savoury. Lacks complexity. Hmm.

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A lot of fun! We had a lovely evening.