Tasting Notes from trip to Rioja

These are the tasting notes from our one week trip to Rioja. The notes include wines tasted at wineries as well as some consumed at restaurants and pintxos bars. The trip objective was to learn more about Rioja and experience/contrast the diverse tempranillo styles. We specifically picked traditional/classic producers (Lopez de Heredia, Rioja Alta, CVNE) as well as the more modern styled Riojas (Allende, Eguren, Roda). We also visited the tasting bar at Muga.

• 2006 Finca Allende Rioja Allende 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/6/2013)

  Had it at a great restaurant "El Paraguas" in Madrid. Still Very youthful, crushed raspberries and strawberries, with nice plum notes and just a touch of well integrated oak. Great balance between sweet fruit, acidity and tannins in a medium body frame. Not extremely complex but very enjoyable for a "weak" Rioja vintage. A touch of heat blew off after 30 mins of slow ox. Great expression of non classic/traditional rioja.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2011 Bodegas y Viñedos de la Marquesa Rioja Valserrano Blanco 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (7/7/2013)

  Crisp refreshing white, cut grass, floral, notes, peaches and a note of
  lemongrass with some balancing salinity and a slight vanilla touch given the barrel fermentation. Lacking a bit on finish but easy drinking. Paired very well with tempura asparagus with garlic aioli.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja Reserva 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (7/8/2013)

  Had this at Sagartoki. Sweet oak, lavender, cinnamon. Full mouth dry dusty tannins, a tad chewy. A tad off balance, showing some heat, Medium finish. Very good at the price point.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2012 Lagar de Cervera Albariño Rías Baixas

  Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas

  (7/9/2013)

  Juicy refreshing white; light colored. Green apples and a touch of
  maracuya. Very pleasing but simple and straightforward.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Cune Reserva 86 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/9/2013)

  Simple nice fruit forward wine.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Bodegas Roda Rioja Sela 86 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/8/2013)

  Light and fresh, with some rubber notes. Very young, a bit of tar and
  tongue coating tannins, not harsh but not velvety either. Ok, lacks fruit.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda I Reserva 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/8/2013)

  100% tempranillo. Deep color from extraction. Very modern style, elegant but full throttle and full bodied. Plum, dark berry and cocoa notes. Still rough around the edges. An intense wine. Give it many years.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Bodegas Roda Rioja Cirsion 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/8/2013)

  100% tempranillo.
  Intense red ruby red. Sweet fruit, Full mouthfull, tar and rubber. Is this "minerality" the "brand" of the house? Like the oaky woody notes that gIve it an extra dimension. Long finish. A lot going on but this a big robust baby.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/8/2013)

  Deep ruby color. Full mouthfeel, silky, red fruits, feminine with a long
  finish. Accesible now but has stuff to keep for some years. Roda says the difference between Roda and Roda I is the red berry emphasis for Roda and dark berries for Roda I. Although different vintages, we could actually perceive this in the tasting. Well made wines, modern.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/7/2013)

  After 30 mins slow ox. Prominent caramel smoky notes, strawberries, bright acidity, leather, with mouthcoating velvety tannins. Still feels youthful. Awesome pairing with baby lamb chops. The wine tames the gamyness, the lamb tames the acidity. Lacks, a bit of depth. Elegant, pinot like in body.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2003 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 82 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/8/2013)

  100% Viura. Sherry like nose given the oxidative profile and an onion whiff at the end. Does not do much for me at all. Not my style.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Bodegas Muga Rioja Selección Especial 86 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/9/2013)

  70% tempranillo, 20% graciano, 10% mazuelo. Deep color, Tar, rubber, blueberries. Grippy mouthcoating tannins, a tad oaky for me.

  Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2005 Bodegas Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/9/2013)

  80% tempranillo, 20% garnacha. Beautiful nose, violets, perfumed, a touch of cedar and vanilla. Medium bodied, elegant silky and delicate, with lingering vanilla. This is very elegant classic rioja.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Bodegas Muga Rioja Torre Muga 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/9/2013)

  Smoky caramel notes, pointy tannins, lots of structure. This is just a
  baby, but has plenty of potential. Lacks a bit of acidity. Full bodied.
  But very nice, less elegant than the Prado Enea.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2005 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Arana Reserva 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/9/2013)

  Smoky, cocoa notes, cherries, beautiful light ruby color. Medium bodied,with a touch of vanilla, bacon fat. Well balanced, first time having thisand this is very nice. Lacks a bit on the finish but otherwise very nice traditional rioja. One of the nice surprises given it costs about 12 Euros.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  (7/9/2013)

  A hint of barnyard, oak and cedar notes. Smooth, silky and rounded
  mouthfeel. Carries more weight than the Arana 2005 and better acidity. Much longer finish and the smokiness persist nicely. Very nice, elegant.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Highlight of the trip was the tasting of the top line wines of the Eguren Family including a 1978 Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva and Teso La Monja Alabaster 2010 (Toro Region). This was a beautiful educational tasting about "terroir and the vineyards" as these 6 wines were all 100% tempranillo, from the same winemaker (Marcos Eguren), all aged in french oak between 18 and 24 months. I highly recommend visiting Senorio San Vicente and Vinedo de Paganos. The service is phenomenal and the wines are great.

• 1978 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/11/2013)

  Beautiful amber and orange hues, incredible nose of plums and raisins, a touch of leather. On the palate bright acidity, beautifully alive, with
  plums and just a touch of minerals given its age. Wonderful. Elegant, silky, feminine.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Teso La Monja Toro Alabaster 90 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Toro

  (7/11/2013)

  Sweet cocoa notes, toffee, very ripe fruits, a touch of passion fruit and could it be, umami? Very new world, full bodied and rich. A tad hot. Must be the Toro. May be the victim of palate fatigue.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Amancio 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/11/2013)

  Divine nose, plums, raisins, expressive, ripe fruits, intense. This is a
  beautiful in between La Nieta and Finca El Bosque. Has some tannins as well. Some vanilla touches that although I normally don't like it it completes this wines. 24 months 100 % french oak. The longest barrel aged in the lineup.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Finca El Bosque 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/11/2013)

  Darker than La Nieta, a touch purple, Balsamic and blackberries, opulent, much more in your face, very fruity and young. This is big intense wine, perhaps too big. 5 percent aged in hungarian casks. Surprisingly short finish.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Viñedos de Páganos Rioja La Nieta 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/11/2013)

  2010 is, according to Marcos Eguren, the Best vintage in Rioja in 30 plus years.
  Intense ruby red, Elegant nose, red cherries, rosemary, balsamic, some minerals but less than puntido that sits next to it. Well rounded, no tannins, medium bodied silky and elegant, fruits and very long finish. 93.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Viñedos de Páganos Rioja El Puntido 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (7/11/2013)

  Very fresh, super mineral, smoky, more structure than the San Vicente. Less expressive than the San Vicente and fuller bodied. This has great aging potential. It is a baby now though.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Señorío de San Vicente Tempranillo Rioja San Vicente 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  (7/11/2013)

  Bright purple, clear. Blueberries and dark cherries, balsamic with great
  mineral nose, tar. Smokiness of pain grille. Explodes in the mouth, well rounded, medium to long finish, medium bodied. Nose translates to palate beautifully. Very nice modern classic expression of Rioja.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

I finished the trip leaning towards the modern styled Riojas of Eguren, Roda and Allende. These are modern reds but the winemakers specially in the case of Eguren are making the wines starting in the vineyard so they are taking a classic approach in that sense. Only time will tell if these modern wines will age as well as the classic Riojas. Some of the classics Gran Reserva Riojas like Prado Enea or Rioja Alta are also fantastic wines and they will always have a place in my cellar as well.