Established in 1890, Bodegas Riojanas is one of the traditional producers of Rioja, so it’s not surprising that they label their Riojas in the traditional way, by how long the wine has aged, as opposed what is becoming very popular in Rioja now, by geography.… Read more

Although Rioja Reserva wines spend only a year in barrel, like Crianza bottlings, the source of the grapes is typically better and the required two years of bottle aging before release smooths out the rough edges. The mid-weight Monte Real de Familia Reserva delivers less fruitiness, and more complexity, with a distinct savory component.… Read more

Gran Reserva wines from Rioja require a minimum of five years before release, with at least two years in barrel. The grapes for Gran Reserva are always the highest quality, in this case Tempranillo from Bodegas Riojanas’ best vineyard. Fitting the expected profile, the mid-weight but not ponderous Gran Reserva from Monte Real conveys an impeccable balance of darker fruit and an appealing savory, almost leathery, kick.… Read more

($30, Cru Selections):  Regulations for the Reserva category of Rioja require at least 3 years of aging, one of which must be in barrel, before release.  Many, like this beauty, are aged longer before they hit retailers’ shelves.  Hint of brown mahogany in the color announces it maturity and the non-fruit panoply of flavors (coffee and even leather-like notes) on the palate confirms it. … Read more

($13, Opici Wines & Spirits):  Like so many wines from Rioja, the juicy 2019 Crianza from El Coto, delivers more than the price suggests.  As a reminder, a Rioja labeled Crianza, by law, has been aged for a year in barrel and a year in bottle before release. … Read more

($23, Zamora Company):  Albariño and Rías Baixas are practically synonymous.  Yes, there is a little other white wine produced aside from Albariño, and of course, in neighboring Portugal, the same grape (Alvarinho in Portuguese) is used for Vinho Verde.  But Albariño from Rías Baixas is hard to resist, especially in the summer because its uplifting citrus acidity refreshes and simultaneously cuts through most anything on the table, even barbecued chicken. … Read more

($18, Zamora Company):  Founded in Rioja over a hundred years ago and focused on wines from there, Ramón Bilbao expanded to Rueda and built a winey there in 2016.  The talents they exhibit in their Rioja are readily apparent in this floral and fresh Rueda. … Read more

($25):  Raventós i Blanc, one of Spain’s leading producers of sparkling wines, left the Cava consortium because they felt the standards were too low.  So, instead of bottling their excellent sparkling wines as Cava, they label them Conca del Riu Anoia, a new D.O. … Read more

($20):  It’s hard to beat Rioja for satisfying mid-weight well-priced reds.  Take this delightful example.  Conde Valdemar has made a seamless combination of dark fruitiness touched by a kiss of seductive oak, all enlivened by lip-smacking acidity.  Fine tannins make this bright and fresh beauty great for current drinking with anything from a roast chicken and mushrooms to skirt steak fresh from the grill.… Read more

($18, Cru Selections):  Fragrant floral notes immediately capture your attention here.  Along with them, Conde Valdemar has managed to combine a subtle fruity roundness with bright invigorating citrus notes in this mid-weight white.  A delicate hint of bitterness in the finish adds a balancing touch. … Read more

($25, Augustan Wine Imports):  Raventós i Blanc, one of the leading Cava producers, left the Cava DO in 2012 to highlight their unique and individual terroir around the Anoia River Valley.  Their wines are no longer labeled Cava, but instead with what they hope will become a DO, Conca del Riu Anoia. … Read more

($16, Carolina Wine Brands):  Baron de Ley’s white Rioja Reserva has an entirely different — and weightier — profile compared to their regular bottling.  The effects of oak-aging is apparent, but not intrusive.  It adds weight and gravitas without dominating.  Though there is more “oomph” here, it’s not a fruity wine, but paradoxically conveys an attractive austerity and an engaging hint of bitterness in the finish. … Read more

($14, Carolina Wine Brands):  White Rioja, made chiefly from Viura, represents a little under 10 percent of the plantings in the region and is making a resurgence in the marketplace.  This light and zesty one delivers a hint of minerality accompanied by refreshing saline-like acidity. … Read more

($15):  Wines from Rioja, arguably Spain’s most famous wine area, can provide terrific value.  Just take this one for example.  Crianza, an official designation of aging, means that the red wine has been aged for two years, at least one of which was in oak barrels, before release. … Read more

($42):  La Rioja Alta is one of Rioja’s top producers.  Their Viña Ardanza, an exquisite blend of Tempranillo (80%) and Garnacha, brings both red fruit and savory nuances together.  Subtle mature hints add complexity and intrigue.  Suavely textured, the emphasis is on elegance and stature, not power. … Read more

($15, Gonzalez Byass USA):  This bright, mid-weight Tempranillo-based wine is a pleasure to drink now.  Fresh and lively, it is fruity, but not too fruity, and carries its stated 14.5 percent alcohol seamlessly.  Mild tannins provide needed structure without astringency.  Its price makes it an everyday kind of wine.… Read more

($22, Quintessential Wines):  Bodegas Muriel makes a range of wines, all of which are easy to recommend.  Frankly, I would buy all three of the current releases reviewed this week, then invite some people over, and give everyone a quick lesson in Rioja. … Read more

($30, Quintessential Wines):  Rounding out this trio of Muriel wines is their stunning old vine Reserva.  It is just better, more complex and layered compared to their “regular” Reserva with an even finer texture.  It’s the kind of wine that makes you pause after the first sip. … Read more

($16, Quintessential Wines):  The wines of Rioja have been labeled traditionally by the amount of aging they receive prior to release.  By law, a Crianza must receive at least one year of barrel age followed by a year of bottle age before release. … Read more

($18, Osborne):  Bodegas Montecillo, one of Rioja’s most prominent producers, consistently offers great value.  Take this Reserva for example.  A blend of Tempranillo (90 percent), Garnacha (8 percent) and Mazuelo, it spends two years aging in oak barrels followed by another 18 months in the bottle before release, which explains why the 2014 is the current release. … Read more

($22, Osborne):  Where else but Spain, and particularly Rioja, can you find the glories of a wine with a decade of age that you can afford to buy and enjoy on a regular basis?  Properly aged wine has an alluring ying/yang of fruit and non-fruit character enrobed by a silky suaveness that is captivating. … Read more

($15, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): Blended from basically equal parts of the traditional grapes used for Cava, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada, this sparkler is friendly in character.  Its mid-weight — 11.5 percent alcohol — character and its fruity profile makes it a lovely wine to use as an aperitif on hot and humid summer evenings. … Read more

($20, Quintessential Wines):  This wine is for those of you who have not yet been introduced to the wines from Rías Baixas, the maritime-influenced northwestern corner of Spain.  In fact, it is also for those who love the energetic lively wines of that appellation. … Read more

($19, Quintessential Wines):  Moving up the Rioja quality ladder brings us to the Reserva category, just below the top level of Gran Reserva.  Rioja Reserva must be aged for a minimum of three years, at least one of which must be in barrel. … Read more

($16, Quintessential Wines):  Wines from Rioja are typically classified by the amount of aging before release.  (I say typically, because some producers are now labeling their Rioja by vineyard site rather than aging requirements.)  Crianza means the wine has had two years of aging, at least one of which has been in barrel, prior to release. … Read more

($15, Quintessential Wines):  Despite rising prices for wine world-wide, Spain, even prestigious areas such as Rioja, still remains a source for terrific bargains.  Take this one, for example.  It delivers a balanced mixture of berry-like fruitiness and a touch of spice, supported by sufficient but not intrusive structure. … Read more

($20, Arano LLC):  The Cava category, Spain’s unique sparkling wine, has several levels.  One level below the pinnacle is Gran Reserva, a wine that must see at least 30 months of aging on the lees.  Goulart doubles that and then adds another 12 months for good measure. … Read more

($16, Polaner Selections):  Valdesil, a winery synonymous with top-notch Godello, makes a lovely array of wines from that under-appreciated grape.  This fresh and clean one is their “entry-level” wine.  And what an entry it is!  It’s a splendid introduction to Valdesil’s talents and the beauty of the wines made from this grape. … Read more

($31, Quintessential Wines):  It always amazes me, though it shouldn’t, how different Tempranillo is when planted in Ribera del Duero compared to Rioja.  This one conveys a splendid mixture of black fruit and tarry minerality.  Moderate tannins and good acidity lend support to this muscular, but not overdone, wine. … Read more

($15, Evaton Inc):  One of the delightful aspects about Rioja is the tradition of making Reserva wines by aging them before release.  This practice gives the consumer an opportunity to taste the magical transformation of a simple fruit-driven young wine to one that displays a complexity array of savory nuances and non-fruit flavors. … Read more

($15, Gonzalez Byass):   Don’t let the atypical packaging — an abstract art mosaic covering the entire bottle — put you off.  Nor that a company best known for their Sherry is making Cava.  A blend of two traditional grapes used for Cava, Macabeo and Parelleda, along with an atypical one, Chardonnay, Vilarnau provides a creaminess offset by a hint of bitterness. … Read more

($23):  Riás Baixas, a small area tucked away in Galicia in north western Spain, can make cutting white wines, like this one, from the Albariño grape.  Grandbazan’s 2020 delivers a hint of grapefruit rind pithiness and good depth.  Not a pre-dinner sipping wine because it might take the enamel off your teeth. … Read more

($25):  First, please note that this decade-old wine is the current release.  Secondly, if you read the label and note its 15 percent stated-alcohol, you might be put off.  Don’t be.  I can’t explain it, but Garnacha can carry that level of alcohol beautifully, as this wine shows. … Read more

($18, Quintessential Wines):  One of the many charms of Rioja is the ability to find wines with aged character at a reasonable, dare I say, bargain, price.  This one displays the balanced combination of fresh and dried fruits, the latter of which comes from bottle age. … Read more

($13, Quintessential Wines):  Bargain alert.  Light, bright and zesty, this Rioja would fit into my category of “pizza wine” if it came from Italy.  So, call it a tapas wine instead.  But you get the point.  Though it’s a lightweight red, its lively red fruitiness allows you to serve it with barbecued chicken. … Read more

($17, Quintessential Wines):  This mid-weight wine demonstrates clearly why Rioja is so popular.  This red brings a bit of everything, a bright savory combination of red fruits and spice, to the table.  Pleasantly drying tannins lend support without being intrusive.  Despite its mid-weight body, this energetic wine commands a serious presence and calls for red meats or hearty tapas.… Read more

($26, Quintessential Wines):  Rioja is one of the very few regions of the world where consumers can find well-aged wines at reasonable prices, and sometimes, like this one, ridiculously low ones.  Where else could you find a decade old red at this price? … Read more

($11, Miguel Torres USA):  Bodegas Torres, certainly one of the most important producers in Spain, produces this bargain-priced delightful racy white wine year after year.  Full of energy and life, the 2019 is a blend of Parellada, an important component of Cava, and Garnacha Blanco. … Read more

($30, Bluest Sky Group):  Roca del Crit (screaming rock) was a place behind El Bulli where, the story goes, David Seijas, the sommelier at that famed restaurant, could escape and scream to relieve tension from work.  Roca del Crit is more robust than its stable mate, Mimetic, with a focus more on minerals and earth. … Read more

($15, Bluest Sky Group):  Though I’ve given some background on the Gallina de Piel wines previously, it bears repeating because their wines represent great bargains.  So, it’s worth hearing the story again.  Two sommeliers, one of whom, David Seijas, worked at El Bulli, named the best restaurant in the world five times by Restaurant magazine, founded Gallina de Piel. … Read more

($37, Bluest Sky Group):  Two sommeliers, one of whom, David Seijas, worked at El Bulli, named the best restaurant in the world five times by Restaurant magazine, founded Gallina de Piel (which transliterates as “chicken skin” from Spanish, the equivalent of “goose bumps” in colloquial English).… Read more

($16):  Beirzo, located in the northwest corner of Castilla y León bordering Galicia and Asturias, is home to the Mencía grape, from which this wine is made.  With is weight and concentration, it’s a well-priced example of what that variety is capable of delivering. … Read more

($150, WineSmith Company):  The packaging and verbiage, 14.9 percent stated alcohol, the over-sized 2.6-pound (empty) bottle and the back label informing that the wine was aged in” very special French oak” for two years, put me off.  But I remember how impressive their second wine, simply labeled “17” was. … Read more

($15, Aviva Vino):    Do.  Not.  Miss.  This.  Wine.  Made from an obscure grape (but not for long), from an obscure region (also not for long), this wine is a bargain.  The small, relatively unknown Monterrei DO (pronounced—Mon-ter-rey) is located in the southern part of Galicia near the Portuguese border. … Read more

($65, WineSmith Company):  Bodegas Pinea, a new entry in Ribera del Duero, is off to an excellent start.  Founded just this decade, their first release of their flagship wine, Pinea, was in 2017, which gave rise to the name of this wine, 17, their second label. … Read more

($20):  This is the kind of wine that makes Rioja so popular.  Nothing sticks out in this harmonious mid-weight wine.  The balance of fruit and savory notes reminds you it’s not a fruit bomb.  The flavors imparted by oak aging are subtle and integrated nicely. … Read more

($35, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  The wine from Tinto Pesquera, the Fernandez family’s flagship estate, brought critical acclaim to Alejandro Fernandez decades ago.  As much as I like the Crianza from their Condado de Haza estate, this Crianza is just, well, better. … Read more

($24, Folio Fine Wine Partners): This must be one of the best wines selling for less than $25 a bottle in today’s market. The estate, Condado de Haza, is part of the Fernandez family’s holding in Ribera del Duero, the area which gained its D.O.… Read more