Sarah Jane Evans MW, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW and Pierre Mansour tasted 105 wines with 7 Outstanding and 76 Highly recommended.
Red Rioja £20-£40: panel tasting scores
105 wines tasted
Exceptional 0
Outstanding 7
Highly recommended 76
Recommended 22
Commended 0
Fair 0
Poor 0
Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release red Riojas priced at £20-£40 (or $20-$40), with any Rioja classification of gran reserva, reserva, crianza or genérico permitted
How low can red Rioja reserva and gran reserva go? A quick web search reveals that in price terms it’s down to £5.75 and £10 respectively. Just how can Spain’s first DOCa – created in 1991 – sell itself so cheaply?
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring wines from the red Rioja £20-£40 panel tasting
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Red Rioja £20-£40 panel tasting scores
{}
{"wineId":"68199","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68200","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68201","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68202","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68203","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68204","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68205","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68206","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68207","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68208","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68209","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68210","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68211","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68213","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68215","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68212","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68214","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"67571","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68216","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68217","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68218","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68219","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68220","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68221","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68222","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"68223","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
The judges
Sarah Jane Evans MW is a Decanter contributing editor and Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards. Her latest book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain is set for release in early 2024.
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW is a widely published wine journalist, educator and judge. He holds a degree in agronomical engineering and a Masters in viticulture and oenology, is a national expert for Spain at the OIV organisation and a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain.
Pierre Mansour is director of wine at The Wine Society, where he has worked for 23 years. Starting out with merchant Berry Bros & Rudd, he joined The Wine Society in 2000, moved into buying after four years and has been buying The Society’s Spanish wines since 2008.
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