A night and a day in Rioja

A midway stop on my 5 week European trip, also the middle wine country destination between the stunning Douro Valley in Portugal and Bordeaux. While Rioja doesn’t have the magnificent rolling topography of Douro with its steep hills and terraced vines (I’m not sure where the valley is), I really enjoyed all 5 of these Riojas, the first toward the end of a Michelin starred meal at Venta Moncavillo and the last 4 in tasting rooms, and in the last case, at the winery. Stunning medieval towns made for a striking contrast with the uber modern Gehry MdR facility. I came into this with next to no knowledge of Spanish wines (although I had 3 of today’s bottlings previously, and while I hadn’t had the MdR, I’ve had their Rioja Reserva many times over the years). It’s always been an axiom of mine that good wines are rarely made in ugly places, and today hasn’t changed my mind about that. Big thanks to my patient wife and DD. Salud!

• 2018 Ontañón Rioja Queirón Mi Lugar 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (5/27/2022)

  Served with the meat course after about 7 different pairings at the Michelin-starred Vente Moncavillo last night (pours were small, some ridiculously so for 50E, so my palate was still in good shape). Blackish purple, fuller bodied, medium to thick legs. Well-integrated medium+ tannins and medium acidity, no heat. Good+ complexity, VG intensity, VG+ persistence. Cassis, dark cherries, the slightest hint of red fruit, dark florals and a spicy earthiness with just a bit of oak and vanilla. I don’t know what the aeration story was, but this came out good to go on the pour, and, viz the other Riojas above, had the most modern feel, very much comforting for a CA wine drinker (which, however much I fight it, I am), yet with enough structure to exquisitely complement the almost ridiculously tender beef, but still, when my glass was refilled long after the beef had departed, to excel on its own. There’s some room for upside here, but this wine already drinks with a balance and integration and suaveness such that, it’s likely less than the other wines. At about 20E here according to CT, it’s just riduculous qpr, but even at the closer to $50 in the US, a really good pickup. This is only the second vintage, but a bottling to keep an eye out for. 93-94+

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• 2015 Bodegas Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (5/28/2022)

  Muga was the first stop on the Rioja tasting junket today, and after a forgettable sparkler and Rioja Reserva (both mid to high 80s if scoring), out came the Prada. As with all wines in this story, I don’t know the decant dynamics. On the palate, bright, crunchy red fruit, spice, dill and some oak backed by sharp elbowed acidity and tannins. I slowly drank this over 40 minutes or so, accompanied by vigorous swirling, and while it did open up and the structure relaxed—a bit—this wine, at this point, isn’t for the faint of heart or for sipping as a cocktail, although it may work well with something bloody and fatty if hooked up to a compressor. Reminds me a bit of a young Barolo. Super promising, but I’d put this in a cool, dark place until the better part of 2030. 91-92++, with potential to get to the 94-95 range. NB: the winery was offering for 52E, a really good discount, about a third, viz the US price.

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• 2011 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (5/28/2022)

  At the AR tasting room in Haro. Again, don’t know decant dynamics. On the nose and palate, very crunchy and fairly tart red fruit cocktail led by currants, cherries, raspberries and maybe a bit of rhubarb, taut rocky minerality, rose petals, dill, balsamic and a bit of oak. Medium to dark ruby, medium bodied, medium+ legs. Electric acidity which subsided only slightly over 35-40 minutes of consumption and vigorous swirling, powerful but secondary tannins, no heat. Good complexity, tremendous intensity, VG++ persistence. Although this was the oldest wine by 4 years of the 5 high quality Riojas I had, for my palate, this, like the Muga Prado, tasted like it still needs to be placed in the room with the Ark of the Covenant for quite a while (people saying it’s at, let alone past, peak, like those finding gobs of dark fruit, well, they either had some very different bottles than I did, or the Palo Alto magic show changed my palate more than I thought). Probably quite good with a thorough decant with a ribeye or rack of lamb, this wasn’t quite enamel pealing on its own but was kinda close. Although my experiences with this vintage everywhere have been all over the place (not uniformly bad, cs), I think that this will end up in a really good place. But for right now, this wine should be reserved for rich food, subject to long and intense aeration, or confined to Burgundian palates. 91-92+, with potential to add a couple of points or so.

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• 2019 Benjamin Romeo Rioja La Cueva del Contador 95 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (5/28/2022)

  At the 3rd Station, in the stunning medieval town of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, a tasting room specializing in Contador products. Don’t know aeration dynamics, but with the youth of this wine after the sharp elbows of the older Muga Prado and Alta Rioja, I thought this might make my eyes roll, but I was pleasantly wrong. On the nose and palate, red fruits led again, but on the back end, especially over the time I consumed, black cherries and some cassis came out to play along with some olives, some meatiness, balsamic and a light touch of oak. Dark ruby, medium to full bodied, medium++ legs. Strong tannins and acidity partially integrated at this point, no heat. VG+ complexity, intensity and persistence. This was a really pleasant surprise, both because the Prado and the Alto Rioja seemed not ready, but also because the highly acclaimed ‘05 I had of this bottling was just a bit disappointing. This wine did a great job of combining fruit and freshness, able to be enjoyed now with air with the promise it could get even better. This was the only wine I had today with food—interestingly, marinated bonito and peppers—and it worked surprisingly well, with the red fruit aspects taking precedence over the darker character. Somewhere in the middle of the Rioja spectrum to my non-expert Rioja mind, very good power with elegance, can be enjoyed on its own and should excel with food. Definitely shows the promise of the region. 94-95+

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• 2017 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Baron de Chirel Reserva 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (5/28/2022)

  Last, and most expensive, wine of the day served at the extraordinary Gehry MdR winery in Elciego, which perhaps, sitting in this stunning patio looking out on the medieval town on a high 70s sunny day in Rioja, could have influenced my rating. Like the Mi Lugar, this is a Rioja for the modern palate, with black fruit leading with warm chocolate, floral, vanilla and oak notes making for an almost Napa-like experience. Medium but already well-integrated acidity and tannins, no heat. VG complexity, intensity and persistence. Really delicious and already drinking well, the upside is a bit less clear on this, although it’s hard to imagine it not excelling for 5-8+ years. Very dark purple, fuller bodied, thick legs, nicely balanced tilting just a bit more sweet than savory. Great on its own, but enough underlying structure so that, even if it might not equal some of the other Riojas as food wine, it’s surely not a cocktail wine, either. 94+

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