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
tempranillo
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
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
Cepa Lebrel Rioja Crianza 2016
Can you handle oak? Lots and lots of oak? It’s overdone, yet not without appeal… Continue reading
Diacono Navarra 2018
Kind of OK cheap Spanish from Auchan. When it fails for is the finish… Continue reading