Friday Sips

Being human, any time we roll from one year to another it allows us to become reflective. For many of us in the wine trade, it is about reflecting over what we’ve drank over the past year, and recently, this old favorite from a profound new vintage showed itself to be a delicious standout. There may be more expensive and more serious Rioja, but when it comes to one of sheer pleasure, this one is hard to beat. The Eguren family has proudly produced wines in the most famous of Spain’s wine regions since 1870 and after the warm, yet delicious 2009, it is a thrill to feature and offer something this good for under 20 bucks.

100% Tempranillo and aged 14 months in French and American barrels, this wine is the essence of a cross between tradition and modern thought. Stylish tones of strawberry and spicy oak mingle nicely with earth and graphite tones. Plenty of voluptuous fruit is present in the mouth with lacey tannins and soft spice enable this wine to carry nicely to the dinner table. Drink it now through 2020 with roasted lamb or pork loin….PS – it also has a 91-point rating from Vinous.

Montesa is the second in the Palacios-Remondo trilogy and is always the middle child who is a prodigy. The blend for the Montesa is atypical for Rioja due to it being located in the warmer Alfaro zone as well as Alvaro Palacios’s passion for Garnacha, which comprises 70% of the blend with 20% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo in the blend for support and complexity.

The recently arrival of the 2011 shows off beautiful, fragrant aromas of raspberry and grenadine surrounded by roasted herbs (rosemary & thyme), leather and gently placed kisses of mocha and tobacco. Harmonious and very luscious with penetrating flavors that seduce and attack the palate all at once. Good density of fruit shows over the structure that’s buried by the impressive depth. Firms up on the finish, which shows excellent dimension and Rioja detail. This is a real giant killer! Drink through 2020 with an array of cuisine, especially albondigas (a.k.a. Spanish meatballs). Again, another 91 points from The Wine Advocate for those who are keeping score at home.

Muga Rioja Reserva is a wine that I have been buying, selling, cellaring and drinking for over 20 years. An array of wines are produced at Bodegas Muga both in the modern and classical style and it is the latter of which I prefer. It’s always exciting to receive a new release of Muga’s Reserva due to its price/quality rapport but 2010 is quite simply a badass!!!

Boasting a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 7% Mazuelo and 3% Graciano,the 2010 Reserva is comparable to the grand 2001 version. Possessing a formidable and classy nose that will certainly make you pause and take notice, this precise, detailed, very poised Rioja delivers up scents of mocha, red cherry, prominent aromatic savory herbs. In the mouth, its classic old-school techniques penetrate deeply and show nice movement. A dry texture that is very sultry; dusty, oaky cocoa tones come out as it airs and all carries over to a drawn-out, minerally, rather extending finish. This wine has beautiful accessibility now but will easily age 10-12 years. A perfect Spanish steak wine but also wonderful with a roasted rack of lamb. Prefer drinking a number to drinking wine? If so then this one has 92 points from the conservative-scoring International Wine Cellar.

Over the last decade, we have touted this delectable and deceptive white Rioja as a great every day, thirst-quenching number and 2013 continues this legacy of not disappointing.

Aged sans oak and blended with 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia from 60-70 year old vines, this white wine tickles you in places that you did not know you had! Zingy, bursting lemon-drop and mineral aromas carry over to the brilliantly detailed texture, which exudes strong varietal character and thrilling persistence. You will want to drink multiple glasses of this regardless of what is on the table including any and all seafood dishes, fresh cheeses and white meats with fruit-based marinades.