House Wine Reviews
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From September to June
These wines have my personal stamp of approval. Don’t be surprised if there are some you do not recognize. I want to do the work for you and introduce some new delicious bottles. On occasion, such as Robbie Burns or St. Patrick’s Day, I may entice you with a spirit or a beer. Let’s have fun!
Conde Valdemar Crianza Rioja 2016
Reviewed on March 15, 2024
Let’s travel to Spain and to the historic wine region of Rioja. It is Spain’s oldest and most famous wine region. Rioja is located in north central Spain. The longest river in Spain, the Ebro River, runs right through the region. Cutting it in half from north to south. It flows west to east for 910 km originating in Cantabria and winding up in the Mediterranean Sea. The Ebro River has 7 tributaries. One of which is called the Rio Oja. This is where the region got its name.
The Tempranillo grape is king and it often blended with other native varieties. In Rioja there are 4 different category levels based on minimum aging. This one is a Crianza, which means that it has been aged for a minimum of 2 years. One of those years must be in an oak barrel. Bodegas Valdemar is owned by the Martinez Bujanda family. The grapes for this wine come from the sub-zones of Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta.
I picked this wine because it is 8 years old and tasting great. It is a lovely ruby red with a slight tinge of orange on the rim. On the nose it has classic Rioja aromas of red plums, strawberry and black pepper. It is medium bodied with silky tannins. Beautiful integration of fruit, spice and tannins. This is a food wine. For a traditional pairing, try it with Manchego cheese and Serrano ham. It would also be tasty with salt & pepper pork ribs, pasta puttanesca and grilled mushrooms.
Tasting Note
Colour: garnet with a hint of ruby
Aroma: classic Rioja aromas that I love – red plums, strawberry, caramel and dried roses
Palate: medium bodied – flavours of cherry, dried strawberry, plum, tobacco, hint of black olives. Silky tannins.
Comment: It is drinking great. I tip my hat to the oak program on this wine. This wine will even get better when you have it with food.
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