Marqués de Riscal Reserva 2006

16.0 / 20

Producer: Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Bright, lively ruby to the eye, this old vines Rioja - mainly Tempranillo with a dash of Graciano and Mazuelo - has a lot of vanilla in the nose, closely followed by ripe cherries, backed by spices, some balsamic and a touch of smoke.

Medium bodied, showing a lot of fruit in the mouth very well balanced with a strong vanilla/oaky feel. Very good acidity, keeping it lively and fresh, and velvety, solid tannins make this a good, solid spanish red. The end of the taste shows some stronger tannins, a bit of leather and keeps up the acid red cherries, forming a very interesting finale.

Tasted on 2011-11-04

Faustino V 2009

15.0 / 20

Producer: Bodegas Faustino

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Made with 100% Viura - which is also known as Macabeo and used for Cava, this is a white from Rioja, widely known for its red wines.

Light green to the eye, the nose brings us peaches, a scent of honey, a herbal hint and a touch of citrus in the background.

In the mouth, this is a light wine, sporting a balanced acidity, dry and with a citrus feel but at the same time revealing some pleasant honey-like notes that make it a bit more filling. Brief persistence but quite pleasant, this makes a really nice wine for starters or very light dishes.

Ideal for some tapas by the beach, for instance.

Tasted on 2011-06-15