La Rioja, Cuyo

Bodegas Muga

Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2022

2022 vintage. Lean and mean currently with a thoroughly poor attitude and rejecting any and all authority figures. Needs a 2 year boot camp to set/improve on personal goals and to stop displacing. Could see this going 9.2 in 2028/2029. Pretty minimal oak treatment (for Muga) which gives this a fighting chance of future success. Price is nice. Just have to look past the constant insults and wait for that juvenile record to be expunged. 8.5.26. — a day ago

Dave, Barny and 8 others liked this
Dave

Dave

Damn kids.
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

🤣🤣🤣

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Blanco Malvasia Viura 2005

Just when you think it’s going to Thelma & Louise, it spawns wings and lifts off. - at Franklin PT — an hour ago

C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España)

Imperial Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2019

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black fruits: black cherry, plum, some cocoa, dry leaf tobacco, vanilla and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. The alcohol is medium. This is tart and tasty; young and built for age.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend including Bordeaux varieties), Zinfandel (with a decent amount of Petite Sirah, Tempranillo or even Malbec from France, the US, Spain or Argentina. But I think the wood is playing a key role in the tannin here, meaning that I think it spends a lot of time on it. I don’t think it’s all American because it don’t get a bunch of coconut and dill…but this is probably a modern leaning Rioja. So that’s my call. This is Tempranillo from Spain, Rioja, Reserva level and younger, 2019. Boom. This is solid and reliable even though I don’t think it has the personality of Heredia or Pescina. Drink now through 2049.
— a month ago

Somm, Lyle and 11 others liked this

La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri

Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Somm David T
9.4

This is drinking beautifully. It was extremely elegant on the front & mid palate and only revealed its Tempranillo character softly on the long set. I would saying this is around its peak and best self. — 2 months ago

Tom, Scott@Mister and 6 others liked this

Bodegas Beronia

Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2020

Always a good value and tasty! A little more balanced and less “mulled wine” than I recall from earlier vintages. — 2 months ago

Sagee and Ray liked this

Marqués de Murrieta

Reserva Finca Ygay Rioja Tempranillo Blend 1995

vintage 1995 | Well balanced, really beautifull — 2 months ago

Tom, Jay and 6 others liked this

C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España)

Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2005

This is the best bottle of wine I’ve had from my cellar in years. Nearly perfect. Bought it in 2008 for $30 and one of my great finds. Good lord it was just divine. I’m sure there have been better vintages but I can’t imagine it. — 3 months ago

Bodegas Muga

Selección Especial Rioja Tempranillo 2020

Last tasted 11.19.25 (9.1). Medium-heavy bod. Better spice components circulating/wafting about the assembled masses. I don't know what it is I like about you but I like it a lot. Less whole lotta oak, whole lotta oak. There's nothing more that I can say but on a day like today, I pass the time away and walk a quiet mile with you. 8.5.26. — a day ago

Ruud, Barny and 11 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Upon opening, this seemed a bit disjointed, with muted fruit flavors and strong herbal notes. Decanting didn’t seem to help much, but day 2 it finally opened up nicely, with nice complexity and intensity on the palate. Cherry, raspberry, cassis, bay leaf, dried Italian herbs, anise, cloves, vanilla, cedar, earth, and balsamic notes all come through. Really tasty, but maybe a bit too intense. I can see this improving with a few more years of aging so the flavors coalesce and soften a bit more. — 19 days ago

Dave, Barny and 9 others liked this
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Ever try vintage 2010 for this particular?
Joel Lara

Joel Lara

No I haven’t. This is actually the my first Lopez de Heredia. Have you tried it?
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

I have tried their bosconia & cubillo. Haven't tried the tondonia reserva, but do have the 2010 in my cellar.

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 1973

Touch of over the hill but still OK. Lost color. More for the geeks and aficionados - than the casual wine drinker. So this review is for you guys. — a month ago

Zach, Daniel and 11 others liked this
Vin d’Ottawa

Vin d’Ottawa

How long do you think the 2007 can run for? I’ve been aiming to open a magnum in 2030. Perhaps I am being too hasty!
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

Always good.
Rob Brobst III

Rob Brobst III Influencer Badge

I’m your guy Andreas!! I geek out over older vintages.

Bodegas Faustino

Gran Reserva Faustino I Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2009

Vanilla! But once it calms down, good round tannins, good body, super smooth at this point, perfect for the obligatory Father’s Day steaks — 2 months ago

Sagee, Tom and 2 others liked this

Marqués de Riscal

Reserva Herederos del Marques de Riscal Rioja Tempranillo

New to wine. This was one of the first quality reds I was recommended. Should age well and has decent tannins. — 2 months ago

R. López de Heredia

Viña Bosconia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2011

It’s been a few years since I last checked in to the 2011 vintage of LdH Viña Bosconia and, to my palate, time has been kind. This is far more balanced and open than my previous experience. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2011 pours a ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe cherry, dill, toasted coconut, leather, tobacco, dried earth and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Delicious. Drink now through 2036. — 3 months ago

Jan, Lyle and 13 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Cubillo Crianza Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2015

Upon opening, VERY bitter and strong. Have to let this one open. Upon opening got pretty good. Similar flavour to the previous rioja I’ve had many times that I love, but this is just more of it and much stronger and more flavourful. Not sure that I want that out of a wine, pretty sure I’m not willing to pay more for it. Not sure if I should attribute that to the wine or its age (oldest bottle I have yet tried).

Lighter and easier drinking reds are my preference at the moment. Maybe I will feel differently and prefer the stronger flavours once I am more seasoned into wines as I’ve become with scotch.

Definitely will return to this bottle if that becomes the case, otherwise prefer other favorites or to try new wines at the price.

It’s really not a bad wine. A lot of flavour and a lot going on.… I highly suspect I just am not able to fully appreciate what it is giving me at this point in my wine journey.
— 6 days ago

Antigal Winery & Estates

Uno Mendoza Malbec 2024

Good afternoon a Boudoix bottle with pizza. Bold and dark berry forward but smooth and dry. Nice compliment to the other — 12 days ago

Brian Sakowicz
with Brian

Bodegas Muga

Reserva Unfiltered Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2044

At a night we were all having fun.
If I had to nitpick… a touch oaky for me.
Not the best red ever. But lovely
— a month ago

Dave, Jose and 1 other liked this

Viña Cobos

Felino Mendoza Malbec 2023

Very drinkable — a month ago

Rick, Sagee and 1 other liked this

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2019

Jj Joe
9.5

What a surprise, good for korean foods and chicken too — a month ago

Ruud, Tom and 1 other liked this

El Coto de Rioja

Crianza Rioja Tempranillo 2022

Good fruit, good acidity, clear pomegranate (including the white rind!). Solid 90! I should downgrade my last 90 this is better. Good deal! 😀😀 — 2 months ago

Paul, Ray and 2 others liked this