Sierra Cantabria Coleccion Privada 2005

All this talk of modern V’s traditional Rioja seems logical until you come across a wine like this. The Coleccion Privada is what the Egurens call a Collection wine, that is a wine that shows character and tradition but with modern methods and oak treatment. The result is something that blurs the line between traditional and modern, however I’d have to question the oak treatment a bit here.

A quick google search tells me that the CP is made from two vineyards of 50 year old vines, barrell fermented in a mix of French and American oak and then left to age in the barrel for 18 months.

Very dark in the glass, with royal purple towards the rim. A concentrated nose of dark fruits and wood at this stage: blackberry, dark cherry with espresso, a year’s worth of pencil shavings, sarsparilla and cinamon. Very nice fruit tannins in the mouth, bigish and soft, that lend a bit of ommph and keep up with the acid. Although this is a very young wine, its fairly approachable now. The palate shows juicy black fruits with some mocha, pepper and hot cinamon. The finish is very long. A wine to be banished to the cellar for at least 5 years, preferably 7-10. But it looks like it will live for a very long time. 93 Pts.

Source: Toro/Woods Wines Price: $125 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.eguren.com

Vinedos de Paganos La Nieta 2005

Now this is a wine that will divide the modernists from the traditionalist. It’s expensive, highly expressive and extracted, limited production and very much a high expression Rioja wine. It’s from a single 1.7 Ha vineyard of Tempranillo that was planted in 1975 on trellis (which is unusual for Rioja) in the minerally clay high up in Rioja Alta near Laguardia. A lot of selection work is done for this wine, cluster selection in the vineyard then berry selection by hand in the bodega. It’s fermented then in to new French oak for 18 months. It’s presented in a way that makes me think Grand Cru Burgundy. Personally, I think its a great wine that needs to rest for at least 5 years before looking at it. But if you’re more of a traditionalist, you’ll be cursing Parker and his followers.

Very dark for Rioja, royal purple with black/red core. The wood is quite evident at the moment, mocha, a bit of caramel and some vanilla. Thats followed up by some stunning dark fruit: Dark cherry, blackberry and blueberry with some minerals and herbs layered in for extra complexity. Intensely flavoured in the mouth with plenty of soft fruit tannin but with the acid to back it all up. Its very masculine and youthful right now, but I sense that this is wine that will have have an identity crisis in its early teens and move to a more feminine mould. The palate shows dark cherry, black current, and ripe mulberry with plenty of minerals, sarsaparilla and iron type minerals. The finish is huge. If you’re not a traditionalist and get a kick out of all kinds of wine, you’ll love this. But keep your mitts off for at least 5 years, then drink over the following 15. 95+ Pts.

Source: Toro/Woods Wines Price: Around $300 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.eguren.com

Ramon Bilbao Mirto 2002

This is the high expression from Ramon Bilbao and it looks like they've used every trick in the book to assemble a very high quality wine. Bunch selection in the vineyard, then table sorting in the bodega, temperature controlled fermentation in French oak vats, into new French oak barrels with a bit of bâtonnage thrown in for good measure. Its then bottled after 24 months in barrel. Sounds good? Well the resulting wine certainly is.

It opens up with plenty of wood derived characters: espresso, caramel, pencil shavings and vanilla which sits over some earthy boozed cherry, plum and current fruit. Very smooth and textured in the mouth, there is a lot of wood artefacts here but the fruit stands up to it. Cherry, plum, mocha, cinnamon, liquorice and pepper. Its rich and juicy with some sandy tannins on the finish. A very good wine for the vintage, it will cellar well for at least 10 years. 93 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $100 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasramonbilbao.es

Ramon Bilbao Edicion Limitada 2003

Another quick note, time seems to be getting away from me at the moment but I have a load of bottles to write up plus a couple of tastings this week.

So this is the best 604 barrells of Tempranillo from a single vineyard, Finca Valpierre. Bunch selection is used to find the best clusters and then fermented in oak vats. In to French and American oak for 14 months and aged in bottle for another 10 months.

Aromas of Vanilla coffee, chocolate, a touch of pencil shavings with some earthy dark cherry and a bit of prune. Its young at the moment, but opens up a bit with some time in the decanter, showing some coco like tannins and good structure. On the palate there is plenty to like: cola, dark cherry, blackberry, an Irishman's pipe bag, and peper. The fruit is a little baked, but it's balanced and copes with it well. Well done for the vintage, I'll be interested to see the 04. 92 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $35 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasramonbilbao.es

Ramon Bilbao Crianza 2004

I'm always on the lookout for a quality Rioja at a good price, and one seems to have landed in my lap here. Ramon Bilbao are a fairly traditional producer in Rioja, they also have a more modern high expression offering but the focus is on the traditional wines. This one is 100% Tempranillo from Rioja Alta, Haro and surounds to be specific.  Following fermentation it lives in American oak for 14 months and another 8 months in bottle before being released.

Notes of mocha and vanilla on the nose with cherry, mulberry and cola. Open and ready to go from the start. Plenty fluffy tannins provide texture, while there is good balance and a long finish, if a bit drying. A clean palate of cherry and mulberry fruit, a touch of balsamic, minerals and bay leaf. A bargain for drinking this winter, but it could do 5 years in the cellar if you can keep your hands off it. 90 Pts.

Source: Broadway Liquor Distributors Price: $25 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasramonbilbao.es

Bodegas Breton ‘Lorinon’ Crianza 2004

I have no idea why some wineries want to have gaudy flash websites, complete with a sound track direct from some bad 80s movie. These guys have a horrible one. But they seem to have the wine making sorted, this is a wine that will go well in the cellar over the next couple of years. Its their entry level red made from mostly tempranillo with 5% each of garnacha, mazeulo and graciano, then aged in robles Americano for 14 months. They make a whopping 820,000 bottles and 29,000 magnums of the stuff. And why not, it's a solid drink.

Oh and if you haven't checked it out, the guys at Catavino were off in Rioja last week (lucky bastards!), so they've had a few guest posters in. Adrian Murcia from Blame it on Rioja has written a great post on an American view of Rioja, its certainly worth a click.

A deep red in colour, moving to purple toward the rim. A fine nose of liquored up dark cherries and plums, dark chocolate and earth wrapped up in some fairly good oak. Heavily influence by old school rioja, with a bit more fruit. Tight at the moment, but its a middle weight in the mouth with plenty of backbone with good mouthfeel and fine, silky tannins. On the palate its fairly much a mirror of the nose, but its all ripe cherry rather than plum, and adds some cinnamon for added interest . Give this a good decant, or even better, a couple of years in the cellar. 88+ Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars Price: $28 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasbreton.com

Telmo Rodriguez Lanzaga 2004

These 2004s from Telmo Rodriguez are looking great at the moment, and the excellent 2005s are not too far away. The oak treatment throughout the range is really well handled and the fruit just sings.  Whats not to like about that that?

Smokey earth with bright red cherry, mulberry, undergrowth and a touch of coffee. Really nice balance, with plenty of dusty tannins.  A bit tight, but showing all the classic Rioja characters of cherry, mulberry, pepper, a touch of chocolate and cinnamon.  The oak treatment is just right. A long finish completes the package.  A good decant will get you moving, but you really should stick this somewhere dark for a couple of years, then drink over the following 10.  92+ Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition RRP: $55 Closure: Conventional Cork

Other vintages: 2003

Palacios Remondo Propiedad 2005

So, back to business.  Well, drinking actually.  I've been lucky enough to have a look at this wine twice in the last two weeks, a full bottle last weekend and another taste yesterday.  The wines from Palcios Remondo seemed to have moved into a very serious mould.  Both this wine and La Montesa are pretty serious wines from the 2005 vintage the need some chill out time in the cellar.  I double decanted the full bottle and drank it over 5 hours.  Of course the last glass was the best.

A classic nose of earthy undergrowth, cherry, raspberry, spice, mocha and pepper. Showing its youth at the moment, but showing loads of potential.  Very tight it gives up some nice tannins and a spike of acid. On the palate its very primary: mulberry, cherry, and raspberry with some dried herbs.  One for the cellar, but it will open up to be a beauty in a couple of years..  92+ Pts. 

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Cost: Around $55 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.vinosherenciaremondo.com

Other Vintages: 2001, 2003, 2004

Bodegas Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 1998

This is a much loved wine for traditional Spanish wine drinkers.  Its traditional, but bold and smooth with plenty of secondary characters.  I'm lucky enough to have a few vintages in the cellar, mostly of dubious provenance from a passive cellar, but there have been a few great bottles.  The 98 vintage wasn't one of the best of the 90s in Rioja, but the chaps at Muga have managed to pull of something worth drinking and cellaring.

A nice medium red colour with good intensity. The nose is very much old Rioja, tobacco, earth, caramel, mulberry and cherry with notes of menthol/pine needles, vanilla and dried flowers. Nicely medium bodied with good balance and refined tannins. Complex, but refreshing. The palate kicks off with mulberry, plum and cherry and adds some soft spice and vanilla.  Good length with a pin prick of acid on the finish.   The perfect introduction to quality Rioja Gran Reserva.  92+ Pts.

Source: Toro/Woods Wines Price: $90 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasmuga.com

Comse Palacio y Hermanos Crianza 2004

This is a wine that is popular in a lot of the bigger chain stores, but lets not hold that against it.  Its a solid performer and the 2004 is a value for money winner, up there with Conde de Valdemar.  Its made from Tempranillo in the cooler Rioja Alvesa and gets 8 months in new french oak.  It needs a quick decant to show its best, but shows well from the first pour.

Very deep red in colour with aromas of cherry and mulberry with a touch of earth, violets and spice.  Really nice acid and plush, chalky tannins in mouth with the oak in the backseat giving a bit of direction.  Ripe, juicy fruit on the palate, more mulberry with some blueberry and cherry, with a bit of mocha coffee and spice.  Its not overly complex, its the good fruit and smart oak treatment that help this wine over deliver as a midweek tipple.  Excellent quality for the price.  89 Pts.

Source: Retail Cost: $24 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.habarcelo.es