Suffering from man-flu all last week I couldn't smell or taste a thing all week. This of course added to all of the moaning and groaning that is inherent to the very serious ailment that had been inflicted upon me. By Saturday I was feeling somewhat beck to myself and could for a change smell my coffee. After a week of olfactory deprivation I decided to treat myself with something new.
Now readers of this blog and those who know me will be well aware that I am a huge fan of the Conde de Valdemar winery, particularly their Crianza. I have tried it and the Gran Reserva, but forgotten the step between the two.
This Reserva spends 17 months in American and French oak and is a combination of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo. The wine also comes from a very good year for Rioja. A combination of factors that could only set my expectations very high, I was not disappointed.
Colour: Ruby Red
Nose: Initially intense strawberry (almost compote), cranberry, tobacco, cedar box, vanilla and thyme. As the wine began to open up some dried fruits began to emerge adding fig and date to mix which was all rounded off by a lovely scent of clove.
Palate: A delicious mix of strawberry and raspberry compote, cherry on the mid palate and a finish of herbs and cinnamon. To top it all off good acidity and fine tannin.
The verdict? A cracking little wine that is drinking beautifully now, but does reward a little more patience as it only began to show off its' multiple layers after about an hour breathing. This is a textbook Rioja and by text book I mean it does all of the things that a Rioja reserva should do, pure fruit wrapped in delicious oak.
Score: A (90)
Shane
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