RIOJA Tasting notes

Artuke Pies Negro 2014 ,Rioja, Cosecha €18.90

A little alcoholic on first taste, but came together to make for an excellent youthful wine. Very un-Rioja-like with some tannins on the finish. Great intensity of ripe plum fruits and no obvious oak. 14% Vinostito

Artuke 2014 Rioja Cosecha €14-15

Delicious wine; ripe strawberries on the nose; supple easy sweet ripe strawberry and red cherry fruit; surprising concentration and depth. Lovely easy-drinking wine and v much my style. 14-15 13.5% Vinostio

LZ Vinedos de Lanziego 2013 Rioja Cosecha

Lovely wine! Deep dark cherry Tempranillo nose; pure with an earthy touch; concentrated palate with pure dark cherries and a strong minerality. Like. Easy, no tannins, elegant, decent length. 13.5% La Rousse

Jarrarte Bodega Abel Mendoza Monge 2014 Rioja Cosecha €15.99

Pleasant soft cool ripe sweet cherries and raspberries; a touch of cab mac bubblegum but not in a v reductive way. Nice attractive easy-drinking wine and nice price. 13.5% Cabot & Co

Gra2 Graciano 2011 Rioja Cosecha

Hmm. Tastes a little elderly or lacking centre palate at first; some oak, and a nice soft elegant easy drinking wine. The acidity is there and is fine. Later this developed into a nice well-made wine with a good concentration of plum fruits. €17.49 Curious Wines

Ad Libitum Maturana Tinta 2012 Rioja Cosecha 13%

Clean light smooth with blue fruits and an inky concentration on the finish. Good pure fruits. Attractive well-made wine and a good price too. €18.99 Cabot & Co

Cifras Creaciones Exeo Garnacha 2012 Rioja Cosecha €25

OK conc of cool climate q dark fruits, with some tannins on the finish. Good well made, pure (no obv oak) and decent length. Doesn’t come across as a Garnacha13.5% Curious Wines

Pena el Gato Garnacha 2012 Rioja Cosecha €21.99
Possibly faulty. Soft light hay and milk chocolate. Strange wine. 14.5% Cabot & Co.

Senorio de Cuzcurrita 2008 Rioja Cosecha €20.99
This is gorgeous mature fascinating wine; ripe sweet but mineral nose; the same on the palate, the fruit is perfectly ripe – strawbs and some dark fruits, with a soft dusty earthiness – more licking stones minerality, some oak and good length. Above all , interesting. 14.0% Celtic Whiskey
Predicador Bodega Cantador 2012 Rioja Cosecha €28.95

Extremely extracted with lots of tannin and clumsy fruit that appears to be fading a little. The alc sticks through a little. Not v imp.14.5% Whelehan Wines

Cantos de Valpiedra 2012, Rioja Cosecha €18.50/£12.50

This was an excellent cultured modern Rioja, completely removed from the old style, but not overdone either; smooth supple subtle oak – anyone would lap this up. Cassis and spice.