Spain & Portugal

The secret of Tempranillo seems to reside in its hidden depth; gregarious and initially appearing far too attractive to be remotely serious, this wine gradually revels the true depth of its personality; the black fruits are ripe of course , but are backed by notes of laurel, licorice, garrigue and forest floor; the tannins are finely-tuned needless to say, but are swathed in a fine minerality; all in all this is clearly very fine indeed. Juan Carlos thinks it more closely resembles 2004 than 2001, but is sure that it will be better than both of them.

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2007{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 98/100
{ratings} 

The NV Palo Cortado Obispo Gascon, produced from Palomino grapes averaging 20 years old, and shows the telltale nose of Palo Cortado with its lactic touch and an off-dry nose of apricots, blond tobacco and spices. The palate is dominated by the salty notes (common to all Barbadillo wines), sharp, medium-bodied, with great length.

{***}
{region}Jerez{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 92/100        
{ratings}
{***}

Founded in 1821, Barbadillo is a seventh-generation family owned and operated bodega based in Sanlucar de Barrameda. VORS is a rare category denoting a ‘Very Old Rare Sherry Eover 30 years of age and this limited release bottling is taken from the third criadera of their 120-cask solera. It is darker in colour, drier and more intense in aroma and flavour than the classic Palo Cortado Obispo Gascon, with fantastically complex notes of citrus, grilled nuts, spices and a distinctive salty finish. This pairs incredibly well with almonds, mature cheeses and cured meats.

{***}
{region}Jerez{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{ratings}
        
{ratings}
{***}

Founded in 1821, Barbadillo is a seventh-generation family owned and operated bodega based in Sanlucar de Barrameda. The NV Amontillado Principe, from 30-year-old Palomino vineyards, spends eight years under flor and a further six years of oxidative aging. Amber-colored, it has aromas of candied oranges, hazelnuts, mushrooms and a touch of iodine. The palate is sharp and fresh, showing good integration. 

{***}
{region}Jerez{region}
{color}White{color}        {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{ratings}
   [] Robert Parker:: 91/100     
{ratings}
{***}

Warre's, the oldest British port house, is commemorating the bicentenary of the liberation Oporto by the Anglo-Portuguese army with 500 cases of their 2009 vintage port. Each bottle is numbered and a donation of veteran charities will be made for every case sold. It's a crime to drink this elegant and splendid wine now, because it can live for 20 years with ease. But it tastes incredible already, so I won't tell anyone if you are tempted to crack it open before then.
A selection of the best wines and hampers, Money Week, 9 December 2011 Of the famous Symington triptych ( the others being Dow and Graham) only Warre has declared in 2009, and only in strictly limited volumes, reflecting both the inherent low yielding nature of the fruit and the extensive selection that has informed all stages of its gestation.

Made to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Duke of Wellington’s liberation of Oporto, a dramatic adventure in which a certain William Warre played a prominent part, there will be a generous donation from every bottle sold made to the Help The Heroes Charity.

Sourced principally from the cooler and higher vineyards at Cavadinha, Retiro and Telhada, this is a wonderfully elegant, aromatic Warre, possibly less dense of structure than some, but making up for that by the beauty and integrity of its architectural design. A velvety palate and a rich peppery finish underline this wine’s pedigree.

{***}{region} Port {region}
{color} Red{color}              {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}
{***}

{***}{region} Port {region}
{color} Red{color}              {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}
{***}

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1986{vintage}
{ratings}

{ratings} 

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1995{vintage}
{ratings}

{ratings} 

Bodegas C.V.N.E. is still owned and run by the Real de Asua family whose ancestors established it back in 1879. Its full name is Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España but it more commonly known as "coonay".

In the late 1980s the firm built a spanking new stainless steel winery in the town of Haro and is now producing thoroughly "modern" style Rioja wines. Both red and whites are produced and their white Rioja is one of the few remaining heavily-oaked examples on the market today.

The 2 different ranges of C.V.N.E, the Vina Real and Imperial, are rich, full-bodied Riojas, with the Reservas and Grand Reservas being some of the most long-lived in the region today.

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1986{vintage}
{ratings}

{ratings} 

This lighter-styled, mature Rioja shows just a hint of brown at the edges. An initial light sweaty note blows off quickly, revealing appealing dried cherry, spice and wood aromas and flavors, and an elegant, balanced mouthfeel.

{***}{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1991{vintage}{***}

Bodegas C.V.N.E. is still owned and run by the Real de Asua family whose ancestors established it back in 1879. Its full name is Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España but it more commonly known as "coonay".

In the late 1980s the firm built a spanking new stainless steel winery in the town of Haro and is now producing thoroughly "modern" style Rioja wines. Both red and whites are produced and their white Rioja is one of the few remaining heavily-oaked examples on the market today.

The 2 different ranges of C.V.N.E, the Vina Real and Imperial, are rich, full-bodied Riojas, with the Reservas and Grand Reservas being some of the most long-lived in the region today.

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1997{vintage}
{ratings}

{ratings} 

Marqués de Murrieta was one of two pioneers in the production of Rioja wines, this bodega was established in 1852 and is proudly old-fashioned in its approach. All the grapes are sourced from the bodega's own vineyards at Ygay near Logroño, which were recently extended to 300ha. Traditional grape varities are grown Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo, Garnacha Blanca and Viura, many of which have now disappeared from the region. The wines of Murrieta wines are produced by traditional methods, ageing their wines in wood for a minimum of two years (much longer than at any other Bodegas) and there are 14,000 casks for that purpose.

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1973{vintage}
{ratings}

{ratings} 

Situated in Spain's prestigious Rioja Alta region of Rioja, Bodegas Montecillo was first established in 1874, and has been operated by the Osborne family since 1973. Along with nearby producers like Lopez de Heredia, Bodegas Montecillo makes traditionally styled reds based on Tempranillo that are aged in untoasted barrels coopered on-site. 1981 was an excellent vintage in Rioja, particularly for producers in Rioja Alta, and the best wines stand the test of time. From Decanter: "This was a 'nearly' year when quite a few major producers made excellent wines, most notably Faustino, Luís Cañas, Salceda, Montecillo, Olarra, Lopez-Heredia and Ondarre. Gran Reserva wine was made from 12% of the grapes harvested - more than in the grade-5 year 1982 - which tells its own story." 

{***}
{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                          {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
 {maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1981{vintage}
{ratings}

{ratings} 

This lighter-styled, mature Rioja shows just a hint of brown at the edges. An initial light sweaty note blows off quickly, revealing appealing dried cherry, spice and wood aromas and flavors, and an elegant, balanced mouthfeel.

{***}{region}Rioja{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1985{vintage}{***}

This blend of Tempranillo (75%) and Granacha (25%) is deep cherry red. The aroma is a perfect harmony from ripe fruit and the maturation in American oak casks. The flavor is powerful, spicy, round, enveloping and vigorous. All the varied flavours are bound together in elegant harmony. The aftertaste is long, pleasurable and insistent.

Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva Rioja is an exceptional red wine hailing from the renowned Rioja region of Spain. The wine is produced by Bodegas El Coto de Rioja, which has garnered a reputation for its unwavering commitment to traditional winemaking techniques.

A reassuringly balanced Rioja wine which retains fruity character after being passionately crafted over the course of five years. Balanced with smoky and spicy notes from oak.