Wine Region: Rioja

(2026) A Rioja from selected vineyards where 90% Tempranillo is joined by Garnacha and Graciano, it is a modern style, not dominated by oak, despite 20 months in American and French barrels. It was fermented with wild yeasts, which has perhaps enhanced the savoury nature of the aromas that melt into crunchy red and black fruits. The oak manifests more as cedar than vanilla, and the palate is medium-bodied, with a bittersweet endive bite to the tannins and acidity. Pomal suggest this food wine will cellar well for a decade. Watch the video for more information.

(2025) A new wine from the Familia Torres, from a vineyard now certified as a Viñedo Singular, the highest grade in a relatively recent classification of Rioja’s vineyards. It sits on limestone terraces and is composed of bush-trained Tempranillo vines with an average age of 25 years. This Crianza spent a year in American and French oak barrels, but less than 10% of those were new. The nose is spicy with supple black fruits to the fore in the plum and blackcurrant spectrum. It is quite an elegant aromatic, subtle pencil-shaving notes mesh with the fruit. On the palate it is fresh and sappy, certainly a contemporary take on Rioja with crisp tannins and pert acidity giving agility rather than anything too sumptuously rich.

(2025) A rainy winter and a strong spring frost in Rioja was followed by a moderate summer that favoured ripening. This is a blend of 80% Garnacha and 20% Viura from vineyards at 500 to 770 metres altitude. It had just three hours of skin contact yet the colour is a nicely bold pink. On the nose little potpourri scents, floral, with light raspberry fruit. In the mouth it is dry and fruit-forward, but there is acid and a hint of roughening tannin in the background to give gastronomic appeal.

(2025) It's a Rioja with a difference, from the easterly Rioja Oriental region where Tempranillo is not necessarily king. This 100% Grenache wine comes from vineyards at an altitude of 600 metres and was fermented in concrete at very low temperatures to preserve aromatics. The wine is then aged for 12 months in second and third-use French oak barrels. When Grenache is made in this more subtle style rather than full-on, jammy ripeness, some compare it to Pinot Noir, and this example might qualify. It has a truffle and roasted spice component, and a very elegant red apple and small berry fruit character with some floral highlights. In the mouth the oak adds a touch of mocha to underpin the fresh and graceful red fruits, lovely acid and pert tannina balance without ever overpowering. Very stylish. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) This top cuvée from Ukan in Rioja Alavesa come from three old, bush vine Tempranillo vineyards on clay-limestone soil. Fermented with native yeasts in oak vats, with 30% of whole clusters, the wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 15 months. It's a sumptuous Rioja this, with huge natural concentration, the deep mulberry fruit glossed with a violet perfume and sheen of oak. Tannins are ripe and rippling, and the acidity balances perfectly. Hedonistic and extremely polished stuff.

(2024) From a small parcel of vines that range in age from 40 to 90 years, sited in Rioja Alavesa. All are dry-farmed bush vines planted on limestone and clay. It spends 10 months in French oak. In a heavyweight bottle, this deeply-coloured wine has notes of vanilla and clove over ripe blackcurrant and damson plum. Some cedar and tobacco adds finesse. In the mouth the black fruit is dense and chocolaty. Tannins are ripe and creamy but add a definite grip, the oak tannins adding charry darkness, and the black cherry acidity well-balanced. It's a serious and ambitious style this, which would have good cellaring potential. Not in the UK at time of writing.

(2024) Ramón Bilbao's pink Rioja is a blend of 80% Garnacha and 20% Viura, coming from specially selected vineyards planted at between 550 and 770 metres altitude. Medium pale with a peachy hue, lots of confectionery and estery notes, hints of banana, orange and exotic fruit. In the mouth the wine is dry, quite pithy lemon fruit and acidity dominate at first, though it has a clean watermelon lightness and sour plum freshness. Quite fruity, but delicate.

(2024) A rosé from Rioja Alavesa, 100% Tempranillo, wirh a relatively deep colour. There's a jammy cherry ripeness to this, plenty of fruit sweetness moving into strawberry. Quite weighty in texture, but balance is good with sufficient acidity to offset the sweet fruit that could otherwise verge on the slightly cloying. No UK retail stockists at time of review.

(2024) 100% Tempranillo, this is a high quality Rioja which will appeal most to fans of the marzipan, coconut and espresso-slicked hedonistic and velvety style. The fruit comes from the best vineyards of the property where vines have an average age of 50 years. The wine spends 24 months in all new American oak barrels, where it remains for 24 months, followed by several year in bottle before release. After that intense, balsamic richness of the aromas, the palate shows sumptuous depths of black fruit and charry oak, but zipping cherry and plum skin acidity as well as edgy tannins bring freshness. Long, spicy finish.

(2024) According to the Faustino web site this iconic wine represents three out of every 10 bottles of Rioja Gran Reserva sold in the world. It is certainly the most recognisable and, between that and its ubiquity, is so easy to overlook a wine like this in favour or newer or less familar names. Although there are notes on 300 Riojas in wine-pages database, this one has never featured. Aged a minimum of 24 months in French and American oak and 36 in bottle, there's surprisingly little of the coconut and vanilla character one might expect from a 14-year-old, traditional Rioja. Instead it is cedary and spicy, with red fruits that are plummy and savoury. In the mouth it again doesn't have the sumptuous softness that I think I recall from previous tastings. A little mocha coffee does underpin, but the firm acids and grippy tannins dominate though balanced by some solid, plummy fruit. Watch the video for more information and food matching ideas. Costco is the place to buy at £15.49, though widely available including Asda and Tesco at £18-£19.