Great value mature Rioja wines
Five great value picks from our recent panel tasting, with tasting notes and ratings freely available.
Great value mature Rioja wines
You can find great value in Rioja, if you know where to look, said our judges at our mature Rioja panel tasting.
Rioja has yet to see the sort of price inflation on its very top wines that has been witnessed in some other producer regions, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. And there is also relatively good availability for Rioja wines with some bottle age.
‘Maybe Rioja is the best entry point into the world of fine old wines,’ said Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, one of three judges at Decanter’s recent panel tasting for Rioja wines from the 2010 vintage or older.
Below are five wines all priced below £35 – with many under £25 – and scoring over 90 points, including one Outstanding.
Find one to try today…
Bodegas de la Marquesa, Valserrano Gran Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
91
Refined cedar aromas, while the palate is energetic and juicy, building to a fine rasp of youthful tannins. Long and persuasive, with all the ingredients to age well.
2010
Bodegas de la MarquesaRioja
Bodegas Larchago, Pagos de Tahola, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2007
92
Flashy use of new oak gives a dense, concentrated wine that is spicy and full-bodied. There is a bold entry of dark fruit, followed by a rich boom of alcohol and sweet spices.
2007
Bodegas LarchagoRioja
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2010
92
Stylish on the nose and punchy in the mouth, this displays bright cherry characters, a creamy, supple palate and vivid acidity. Even though it is well defined and long already, it will benefit from more time.
2010
Campo ViejoRioja
Urbina, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 1994
92
Baskets of plum juice layered upon leather show this is typically Rioja in style. It is still fresh despite its evolution; the fruit is sweet and delightfully well absorbed into the dense and elegant oak.
1994
UrbinaRioja
Beronia, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2009
91
Aged in French oak for 27 months and a further 36 months in bottle, this wine has a subtle nose of exotic spices, fragrant wood and cherry. Fine grained tannins are followed by an intense, super-ripe wave of red fruits, with a vanillin sweetness. This intensity tails off a little on the mid-palate, but is likely to open up a bit if paired with roast lamb or given more time in the bottle. There is beautiful precision in the character of this wine, balanced all the way through by a well judged acidity.
2009
BeroniaRioja
