Viña Pomal Rioja Crianza 2008 (£9.99 Majestic, Yourfavouritewines.com, Rhythmandbooze.co.uk, Aughton Wines, Delifonseca, Den Boer Wines, Eton Vintners, Hercules Wine Warehouse, INXS Kicked, Sheridan Cooper’s, Taurus Wines, Noel Young, The Vineyard)
Has some of the classic vanilla and orange peel of Rioja, but the baked berry flavours and notes of liquorice speak of overripe fruit, as does the lack of red fruit freshness. B
Marqués de Valido Rioja Reserva 2006 (£10.99 The Co-operative)
Seem like a wine that has matured and then been ‘oaked’ – soft gentle plummy fruit spoiled by new oak rubberiness and a hard finish. 0
Faustino V Rioja Reserva 2005 (£10.99 Asda, Ocado, Costcutter, Nisaway, Musgrave, Budgens, Londis, Makro, Fenwicks, D Byrne, Czerwicks)
Slightly old-fashioned but none the worse for that, has warm, mellow vanilla, orange peel and wild strawberry notes pepped up by touches of spice and hints of citrus freshness. S-
Viña Pomal Rioja Reserva 2005 (£12.99 Majestic, Yourfavouritewines.com, Rhythmandbooze.co.uk, Aughton Wines, Delifonseca, Den Boer Wines, Eton Vintners, Hercules Wine Warehouse, INXS Kicked, Sheridan Cooper’s, Taurus Wines, The Winehouse, Screw It & Pull It, Smokehouse Wines, Bacchus et Al)
Young confident and vigorous wine, plush with bouncy plummy dark fruit and wild strawberry flavour, with an extra layer of earthy meatiness, a definite sense of the soil and a fresh finish. Very tasty. S(+)
Legaris Ribera del Duero Reserva 2005 (£19.99 selected Tesco, Wine Rack, Yourfavouritewines.com, Den Boer Wines, Dickens House Wines, Eagles Wines, Harrison Fine Wines, Lewis & Cooper, Morecambe Bay Wines, Noel Young, Screw It & Pull It, Sheridan Cooper’s, Smokehouse Wines, Taylors Fine Wine)
Young and promising wine, currently it’s in a slightly gawky state, with smoky/rubbery oak still evident, the slightly baked dark berry fruit just hinting at overripeness, and no lack of tannin. It does calm down with time in the glass, revealing more of its savage, meaty side – all it needs is another couple of years in bottle. S
Do you ever do any reviews from any wines produced in Santa Cruz Ca.?
Would love to feature some things from Santa Cruz and I’m a big fan of Ridge & Bonny Doon, but in the UK, we see very few wines from throughout California. Shame.