2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Had this with grilled filet and vegetables, and french lentils for dinner. Tremendous pairing. That said, the 2000 Ardanza is a stunning wine on its own. All finesse and elegance. Spice, red fruit, earth, tobacco, rose petals and orange peel. Burgundian texture. This is the stereotypical old school Rioja. Long on the palate and finish. One can't have enough of this in the cellar.

2001 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

There's little to say about this wine that I have not said before. Had this with friends who cooked lamb for dinner. Best food/wine match ever. The acid and spice in this wine play perfectly with the fattiness and flavor of lamb. On its own, this is a tremendous wine. With lamb, it's a world-beater. It's got pretty blackberry fruit, nice acidity, a touch of dried herbs, and a silky texture. At under $50, this is another wine to buy in large quantity.

2001 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

It's hard to describe just how good this wine is. And at less than $50, the value in the bottle is just stunning. What I love most about this wine is that it manages to be supremely elegant, yet it has the stuffing and length that is often only associated with fruit monsters. It's the ultimate old-world wine lovers wine. Earthy and with lots of sappy, crunchy red fruit like sour cherry and red currants, this is pure pleasure in the glass. As always the American oak is subtle yet distinct. I can't recommend this wine highly enough.

2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Just as riveting as the CVNE Imperial Reserva. Lighter on its feet than the Imperial, but incredibly explosive on the palate. Perfect balance, amazing finesse, lovely elegance. Spice, red fruits, earth, dried herbs. This Rioja is simply phenomenal and will last for many more years.

2001 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Served with herb roasted leg of lamb. Maybe my favorite wine and food pairing in the world. Although the food was outstanding, and although the wine paired well with the food, the wine on its own was simply incredibly tasty. It's a very serious wine that has serious structure, crunchy red and black berry fruit, and a ton of earth, grilled herbs, and a deft touch of American oak. 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo. Saw American and French oak barrels.

2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)

My last bottle of this, and like its predecessors, it did not disappoint. Lovely dark cherry red color and a typical nose of dried herbs, dill pickle, and red and black berry fruit. On the palate, it adds leather and spice, and its zingy acidity is remarkable. It is a wine that can be paired with many a dish for dinner, and it delivers lots of flavor and provokes plenty of thought. At roughly $19, this wine is a huge bargain, and it proves yet again (IMO), that Rioja delivers more world-class wine for under $20 than any other wine region in the old world (with maybe the exception of the Barberas, Langhes and Dolcettos of Piemonte).

2004 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Fantastic wine. Served with grilled lamb chops tonight. An old school Rioja with medium body, great balance, and equally great pleasure factor. Although this wine was delicious right after pop and pouring, it was equally delicious the second night. Red to black fruit like plum, sour cherry, and blackberry with lots of earth, and a hint of rosemary stem. Lip-smacking acidity and a sappiness that I often like in Burgundy make this wine absolutely delicious with food. This wine would be a fantastic wine at any price, but at the current $22 retail price, this is a stunner of a value as well. I couldn't recommend this more highly. Great winery, great vintage. 85% Tempranillo, and the rest Mazuelo, Garnacha, and Graciano. 13.9% alc. In a mixture of American and French oak barrels for two years and racked every 6 months.

1996 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Just a terrific wine. We drank this with some Spanish-style grilled pork skewers for dinner tonight. Light on its feet, yet massive flavor. Red fruited all the way and earthy, sappy, and loaded with dried herbs, leather and flower petals. Finishes brilliantly and it's one of those wines that enhance the food and create a sensation where drinking a sip of wine makes you want to eat a bite and where eating a bite makes you want to take another sip of wine. Old school, traditional Rioja in the Lopez Heredia style.

1998 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)

Had this with dinner last night. And what a great bottle of wine. Dark blackberry and red raspberry fruit. Earth, tree bark, and the perfunctory smidge of dill pickle (from American oak barrels). Texture is silky and acidity zippy, but the fruit is generous yet very elegant. Pretty finish on a pretty wine. For just over $30, this is a massive QPR. Even my wife commented "...this is good wine...". A case buy. Drinking great right now, but should age effortlessly for many years.

2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

I was making mint/thyme marinated lamb last night and thought this may be a good wine to pair with it. And it was indeed. Fantastic wine on its own merit with burgundy-like silky texture. Sweet fruit, lip-smacking freshness, solid finish, and earthy tertiary flavors beginning to develop. Just an amazing wine that preformed even better with the lamb than on its own. This could be consumed with dinner, or contemplated over while watching a movie, listening to music or reading a book. A wine for all occasions.

2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)

Had this over the course of the last two evenings. Quite a pretty wine. Medium bodied. Plum and cherry fruit with earth, spice and some dill pickle (which is likely from the American oak). This is a very nice QPR. To me, although this will probably cellar for a decade longer and improve, this is a great wine to drink now.

2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

What a great wine. Very burgundy-like in its texture, but firmly Rioja in its fruit and style. Has the berry and reductive notes I associate with Rioja. It's super-elegant and with very good freshness. Layered with herbs and fruit on a solid structure. Finish is very good. One of my favorite Roijas so far and a real treat.

1996 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Back to the burgundy-like expression of Rioja. Very nice funky nose right after opening that gets a little more mellow with air. Red fruit, earth, serrano ham, pine cones on the nose. Dancing on the palate with raspberry, plum, and pine forest floor. Great freshness. This was a masterful pairing with flor di sardo and blanco di sardo cheese as well as with italian salumi. The acidity cut right through the fat of the salami and the saltiness of the cheese.

2001 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)

When I first popped sand poured, this seemed like a classic version of Rioja except with greater structure than I would have expected. Focused, and with all that finesse I am used to by now. With air, though, this turned into a very different wine. packed on weight and became extremely floral and spice laden on the nose. On the palate, the fruit profile became darker and almost like Chateauneuf du Pape with a slight Grenache expression (although the blend contains no Grenache btw) and ripe, sweet tannins. Long and dry (in a good way) finish. I think this still has a lot of baby fat, but it's promising and has the stuffing to go the distance. The only thing I'd be a little concerned about is the acidity level, which is lower than in many of the other Rioja samples I've tasted, and not because I think the wine will fall apart, but because I think this will likely not develop into a Burgundy like wine, but more likely a CdP like wine. Great wine though and a ridiculous QPR.

2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)

Enjoyed this with dinner and the album "Spain" by Michel Camilo and Tomatito tonight. Dark but translucent color. Nose is prominently raspberry, cherry, and red currant with some barnyard and a fragrant herb shrub stemminess. Solid midpalate that is all about the red fruit, spice, and some licorice. Finishes long and with good structure. Based on my experience in other wine regions, I would suspect this will improve for another few years and hold for at least 10 years. A ridiculous bargain.

My new passion...wines from Rioja

Those of you who read my blog regularly, and even more so, those who know me personally, know that I am a lover of traditional winemaking in most of the world's great wine regions.

I like the products of old school wine makers in Bordeaux, Chinon, Muscadet, Germany, Burgundy, Cote Rotie, Chateauneuf du Pape, Bandol, Champagne, Tuscany, Piedmont and even Australia.

A few years ago, I was really into Ribera del Dueros, but somehow, with only a few exceptions, as my tastes have increasingly gravitated towards less raw power and more finesse, I found myself disliking many of the wines I had once liked. A good example of this effect would be my recent dislike of recent vintages of Bodegas Aalto. A wine that I really liked a few years ago...I now dread opening.

With this evolution, and the experience of another handful of Spanish fruit bombs, I had avoided all Spanish wines like the plague for years.

Recently however, I was told by a friend (who happens to prefer Champagne and Burgundy) that he had had some Rioja that I may want to try. Turns out that he was talking about Lopez de Heredia. I went and bought a bottle and was smitten. I've since purchased and tasted more Rioja. Of course, I stick to old school producers like Lopez de Heredia, Rioja Alta, Monte Real, and CVNE, and I've had an amazing run so far.

What makes me love these wines so much?

1) Well, for starters, they are extremely food friendly. Try an aged Gran Reserva with some stewed or braised lamb and you'll know what I mean.

2) Second, the ones I've had, have had the texture and aromatic complexity of Burgundy.

3) Third, they feature great freshness.

4) Fourth, some can age effortlessly for decades.

5) And fifth, and not least importantly, they are some of the greatest bargains in today's wine marketplace. From where else in the world can I buy a top wine with 10+ years of age on it, with a decade or more agability for between $30-$40. I can't think of many, if any.

I am awaiting another case of Rioja at the end of the week, and I am positively giddy. I can't wait to open a few of these bottles, especially at this time of year, when the nights are cool and some stewed and slow roasted dishes are making their way on our dinner table.

If you are not familiar with Rioja yet, I can only hope you familiarize yourself with this amazing wine region, provided you like old school wine making.

A sante.

SP

1998 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia (Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja)

Ruby to carmine red color. Almost port-like nose with some raisins and spices. Medium bodied with great dryness and bracing acidity. Plum and rec currants with some very subtle leather. Finishes long and earthy/leafy. Reminds me a little of good burgundy or recent bottles of Montevertine, but much better than Montevertine...just in a similar style. Will be best for old world fans. New world fans will find this too thin and insipid. This wine is not about the fruit. It's all about texture and tertiary qualities.