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Wine Review

Great Rioja Wines

By Raymond Chan
As with most of the great wine growing regions of the world, Rioja has experienced fluctuating fortunes. In recent times, the reputation for fine Rioja has grown again, with the massive investment in all of the best vignobles throughout the world, as the interest in the best has grown.

Rioja, named after the river (rio) Oja, a tributary of the Ebro remains Spain’s leading wine growing region, despite its inconsistent popularity. Situated in the north east of Spain, centred around Logrona, the vineyard area stretches around 100 km west to east and approximately 20-30 kn north to south, and covers around 60,000 hectares. The Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa areas to the west of Logrona are higher in altitude and cooler. The soils are clay and limestone based. The finer Rioja wines come from here. The Rioja Baja area to the east is much drier and warmer , the soils more alluvial and fertile.

With less than 10% of the area planted to white varieties, Viura (or Maceabeo) predominantly, it is no surprise that that the reds, based on Tempranillo are the best wines. Garnacha is often used in blending, this variety more favoured in the Rioja Baja region. Mazuelo (or Carinena) and particularly the indigenous Graciano are becoming increasingly important. 40% of the production of Rioja red is of the Joven unoaked category. The Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are subject to regulations that require respectively increasing oak maturation and bottle age before release. Only 1.5% of Rioja production is at the Gran Reserva level. The American oak 225 litre barrique is the mainstay.

Stephen Bennett MW and Matthew Deller recently imported a selection of highly regarded, new release Rioja wines. Stephen conducted a tasting of these wines at Regional Wines. They were extremely well-received. Here are my notes on the wines:

Pre-Taster


Chivite ‘Coleccion 125’ Navarra Blanco 2004
13.5% alc, 100% Chardonnay from the ‘El Plano’ vineyard, Senorio de Arinzano, B/F in French oak, on lees 10 months. Straw yellow colour, some depth, but pale and youthful in appearance. Full, tight, but rich mealy nose, nutty aromas, with plenty of toasty oak backing. Full-bodied and powerful on palate, ripe mealy, melon-like fruit, nutty and spicy oak in good balance. The wine has excellent concentration. Some alcohol warmth is present. A powerhouse wine, very modern and international in outlook, but excellent for it. 18.5+/20

Flight One: Reserva


These Riojas spend 12 months in oak and have two years in bottle before release.

CUNE Rioja ‘Imperial’ Reserva 2000
Fruit from the Rioja Alta, fermented in oak vats and S/S, aged in American and French casks for two years, and given a further two years bottle age before release. Deepish ruby red with some garnet hues. Soft and full on nose with good ripe fruit and milky American oak and lactic elements, very traditional Rioja in style. A soft and elegant wine with milk chocolate and cedar flavours. Quite mellow, soft, balanced and harmonious. The extraction gives good body, but the acidity seems a little low. Good length on the palate and good drinking now and over the next 4-5 years. My score 18.0-/20

Contino Rioja Reserva 2001
Owned by CUNE’s Real de Asua and Sanchez families, the wine made by Jesus Madrazo. A single estate wine, first made in 1974. 2001 an outstanding vintage. Brilliant colour, deep ruby red. Fresh,
lifted berry fruit nose with good new oak spice and aromatic lift. Fresh, dark berry fruit flavours, aromatic, but brooding. Raw, youthful and reasonably robust, but with sweey and richly ripened fruit. Very fresh and modern in style, Bordeaux-like. The most preferred wine of the flight for the group of tasters by far. My score 18.5/20

Sierra Cantabria Rioja ‘Cuvee Especial’ 2003
Owned by the Eguren family who have been growers since 1870, the Sierra Cantabria bodega draws on its 120 hectares of vines. The Tempranillo is 30 y.o., vineyards managed organically and cropping is at 1.3 t/a. Deepish, dark, ruby red with a touch of garnet to colour. Bright, deep, ripe dark berried fruit and plum aromas, quite full and plump in expression. Full-bodied and well-ripened with sweet, dark berry fruits and plum flavours. Plenty of extraction, giving good size. Robust, with good concentration, and good length. A full, sweet, up-front style showing the 2003 vintage. Not as well preferred by the group as the previous wine. My score 19.0/20

Flight Two: Gran Reserva


These Rioja wines spend 24 months in oak and have three years bottle age before release.

Contino Rioja Gran Reserva 1996
Aged in French and American oak for 36 months followed by two years in bottle. Deep ruby red colour with garnet and mahogany hues. Soft, full and evolving nose, mellow cedar and oak elements, gentle, but still with some freshness. Full-bodied with considerable extraction and grip, compounded by highish acidity resulting in a palate requiring some aging. The tannins are fine-grained. Soft cedar, milk chocolate and game flavours show the age, yet this needs more time, another 5-7 years. 18.5/20

CUNE Rioja ‘Imperial’ Gran Reserva 1998
Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana or CUNE as it has been corrupted to was established in 1879 by the Real de Asua brothers and remains in family hands today. Deep ruby red with lighter garnet on edge. Soft and full on nose with milk and chocolate aromas. Quite mellow and with good ripeness, and gentle American oak integrating well. Elegant on palate with cedar and sweet vanillin oak elements showing, fresh with acidity giving a cut. Classical Rioja, the fruit fading for some tasters. My score 18.0+/20

Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2001
From 30 y.o. Tempranillo, aged 24 months in French and American barriques, then four years in bottle. Very deep, dark, black-hued ruby red, almost impenetrable. Quite soft and shy bouquet, a little dusty. Excellent dark berry and plum aromas with sweet American oak lift, beginning to mellow, a completeness to the aromatics. On the palate the dark berry fruit ant toasty oak flavours are a little restrained, but everything is in good balance. Very finely extracted, the structure is tight and the acidity fresh. The wine has a very long finish. A classical Rioja from a great year, this will age well and open up. 18.5+/20

CUNE Rioja ‘Real de Asua’ 2001
Flagship wine as a tribute to the founders. Fruit from 40 y.o. vines, 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano, from Villalba, fermented and aged 14 months in 100% new French oak. A Reserva technically. Very dark, deep, black hued red with a touch of orange on edge. Powerful nose with ripe dark fruits, liquorice and spicy oak. Lovely fresh fruitiness and very modern in outlook. Huge extraction on palate, beautifully ripe and rich with a lush dark berry fruit expression. Fresh acidity gives liveliness, and the oak is powerful in expression. Overall, very fine-grained,
The Products...
SAN VICENTE RIOJA 03*
San Vicente Rioja 03
San Vicente Rioja 2003 San Vicente is an 18 ha domaine with 1...
$101.95 750 MLS
More...
CUNE RIOJA REAL DE ASUA 01
Cune Rioja Real De Asua 01
CUNE Rioja ‘Real de Asua’ 2001 Flagship wine as a tribute to...
$161.00 750 MLS
More...
EL PUNTIDO RIOJA 03*
El Puntido Rioja 03
Vinedos de Paganos ‘El Puntido’ Rioja 2003 (19.0-/20) ...
$122.10 750 MLS
More...
CONTINO RIOJA GRACIANO 04*
Contino Rioja Graciano 04
94/100. The 2004 Contino Gran Reserva was sourced from vines over 60 years of age and ag...
$204.50 750 MLS
More...

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Staff Recommendations

DAVID

Easter weekend I flew up to Auckland and had a great time visiting family. I made sure I went to Maison Vauron, a must if you enjoy French wines and also Galbraiths to try a few craft beers.

RICHARD

Roast Chicken for dinner evidently. Which Kumeu River Chardy shall I choose?
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