Opened this Rioja with high expectations, but it let me down. For over €20 and with a 94p WA score I hope for an outstanding wine but this is far from that. Re-tasted it in many contexts with the same conclusion.
Dominio de Anza Rioja 2021
spanish
Casa Castillo La Tendida 2020
Casa Castillo is a star producer of Jumilla, and their wines are different from most made in the region. Less oak and less sweetness, more purity – I’m gravitating towards the style, but I’m not fully convinced by this wine. And it’s not the first case when I expected more from a Casa Castillo red… Continue reading
Supermarket wines: Tesco Finest Tempranillo 2022
This humble tempranillo might be even better than its previous vintage (the 2021, reviewed here) which was already superb. What makes it outstanding is the level of refinement – this is as good as such cheap wine gets. I’m quite picky but there is not even the slightest detail here I could complain about. Honestly, I enjoyed this more than many expensive reds… Continue reading
From weird to lovely – cheap Spanish reds from Lidl
Spain is strong when it comes to the budget friendly red category, but it can’t always deliver. From the ones I tried recently I disliked two, but also found one which is unbelievable for its price… Continue reading
Exciting monastrell: Bodegas Cerrón Matas Altas 2021
One of the most exciting monastrell I have ever tasted. I just realised that this is also a notable discovery of the year for Tim Atkin…
Supermarket wines: Barcelino 2020 from Lidl
Cheap Spanish wine is getting nicer these days. It’s less common now to bump into fake ones tasting like oak chips or sweet and ripe New World wannabes. Less is often more when it comes to wine and it seems that even big volume brands recognise this, luckily. A case in point could be the Barcelino 2020 – I expected an overdone red but it’s rather pure. Continue reading
C.V.N.E. Rioja Ecologico 2020
I hoped that I would find a great value here, but there is one detail which makes it less enjoyable – at least for now. Continue reading
Supermarket wines: Tesco Finest Campo di Borja garnacha vs tempranillo
The only difference between these two bottles from Tesco is the grape variety – tempranillo versus garnacha. The latter is one of my favourites, I consume more of it than anything else, but I must admit I never was really interested in the former. However, this time I clearly prefer the tempranillo, to my big surprise… Continue reading
Lidl Cepa Lebrel Rioja Joven 2021
Juan Gil Yellow Label Monastrell 2021
Monastrell is one of the most often featured wines on this blog, and I cannot believe I have not posted about the Juan Gil yellow label yet. An amazing wine from vintage to vintage and one of the greatest buys in the world when it comes to red wines.