Ugalde, Rioja, Crianza, 2019, Spain
This Rioja from Ugalde is a great example of a young Rioja, age around 6 months in oak it’s dry, high in tannins and acidity, got massive amounts of black and red fruit flavours. There’s leather, chocolate, coffee notes in there with a slight earthy undertone all integrated very well.
At zbout £11 a bottle it’s excellent value and paired with a winter roast or BBQ in the summer it’s an all year round wine.
The Guv’nor, Majestic Wine, Spain
The Guv’nor from Majestic Wine is wine from Spain that really surprises for it’s an amazing white wine blend. It is fresh and crisp with lots of citrus with hints of pineapple. Great acidity, balanced and at £6 a bottle it’s amazing value too.
Bodegas Murviedro, Pasion, Monastrell Garnacha, Spain
Dry, firm tannins with dark fruits, spice, oak and hints of eucalyptus make this Bodegas Murviedro, Pasion, Monastrell Garnacha from Spain. It’d rather good and at about £12 decent value.
Cillar de Silos, La Viña de Amalio, Tempranillo, Spain
This tempranillo from Cillar de Silos is quite a surprise. Bold and pretty dry with medium tannins with very good length. There are plenty of flavours of blackcurrant and plum, chocolate and oak notes with licorice and mint hints in the background.
At £60 a bottle it’s a bit overpriced. Then again when you go over £30 a bottle it probably won’t make sny difference, the only question is, is it any good and yes this is very good. Have with red meat or a tomato pasta dish to drink out the best.
At £28 a bottle it’s not cheap but this white wine made from the Xarel lo grape by Pares Balta I’d pretty good. Clean and clear it has aromas and flavours of almonds and citrus and grapefruit with soft creamy undertone. To be sipped and savoured.
Pares Balta, Amphora, 2021, Spain
Bodegas Muro, Maturana, Rioja, Spain
This Rioja from Bodegas Muro is made from the Maturana Tinto grape and it is a lot better than the vast amount of Rioja wine out there.
It does the basics really well, medium but grippy tannins coupled with good lengths on the flavours of plum, cherry with a little spice and hints of chocolate. It went down very well with Lamb and steak at a BBQ.
Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.
Made with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo this red from Spain got a commended at the Decanter international wine awards in 2020, I think they’re missing something.
Aromas of red fruit and oak with a hint of smokiness. It’s a dry wine with tannings easy drinking the favours maybe a little lacking but it’s very easy drinking and for a drinker on a summer’s day this is pretty good.
It’s €18 which is the biggest problem I have with it, it’s too much money for what it is. It’s good, it’s just not €18 good.
Campo Viejo, Reserva, 2015, Spain
Another Rioja, which let’s face it, it’s fairly standard for UK drinkers of red wine. This is actually pretty good and get red fruits on the nose.
It’s dry, relatively intense in the flavours of plum, redcurrants, oak and vanilla coming through with little bit of herbaceous notes.
It’s normally about £9 which isn’t bad, but get it when it’s 25% off and it becomes pretty good value. It’s not a red wine that’s going to embarrass you and for the summer good drinking.
CM by Carlos Muro, 2015, Rioja, Spain
Rioja produces an awful lot of wine and much of it drinkable and there are some truly excellent reds are produced but is this from Carlos Muro a drinkable or excellent one. The aroma is a little flat, you get some red cherry but that’s pretty much it. It’s a dry fairy bold wine with plum and strawberry flavours and soft tannins which I warmed too. This got a bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2018. It’s definitely better than most easy drinking and you don’t have to think about it which in many ways makes it a great drinking wine.
At about £20 a bottle it’s too much money though. I think they should really be a £10 bottle at the most.
Hacienda, Casa del Valle, Syrah, 2016, Spain
Red wine from Spain is a favourite of mine and this Syrah from Hacienda is great, but for all the wrong reasons!
Aged for over 6 months in French and American oak, it’s dry but quite light with lack luster aromas of red fruits that follows through in the taste. So what makes this great? Drink it, just that. No complexity, no messing around with amazing flavours and aromas. It’s a drink, enjoy wine and less chance of a hangover too. Some wines are wines for a moment and this is a drink and don’t think wine, which is what you just need after s crap day at work. Oh at £5 a bottle it’s great value.