Here is my basic / novice report on the Rioja night we held in Sheffield on Saturday night.

Saturday just past we held our 4th and final offliner for 2011.

Venue was the London Club right in the heart of the city.

Cheryl managed to secure the private dining room and a 5 course meal with corkage for the truely amazing price of £27.00.

The food was Excellent and very well presented.
Not one moan from anyone during the whole night, service was great and they were not really noticeable which I really like.

A warm welcome to Brian and Ashley who attended their first Sheffield offliner !! Hope to see you both again.


Here are my novice notes on the wines.

Whites

Antea 2009
Nose, white spring flowers coming through
Zippy citrus with a peppery dry finish.
5/10

Muga 2010
Late change due to a breakage.
Nose, melon with a wiff of oak.
Lovely fresh citrus with a touch of peach adding a little more detail.
Well balanced wine with a dry peppery finish.
7/10

Cune 2009
Nose, fairly closed oak is present.
Stoney fruit, dry crisp finish.
5/10

Reds
Vina Arana 2004
Nose, Sherbet violets sharp freshness to it very good,
Deep ruby, fresh/zippy red berry toasty with a vanilla touch good length.
Great wine would like to try this in 4/5 years time as time will make this into a corker !!
8/10

Muriel Reserva 2004
Nose, Faint cherry
Deeper richer wine than the Arana, spicy with a twist of Christmas cinnamon stick
Oak is well integrated best with food.
6/10

Vina Muriel 1982
Nose, Tobacco leaf / prune well aged nose.
Spicy dry fruit, deep and rich with a warm mid finish.
7/10

Muga Especial 2001
Nose,Sherbet zippy freshness
Tight fruit with plenty of tannins, reasonable finish but to young IMO.
Needs time to open up, perhaps this should have been decanted ??
6/10

Ygay Especial 2001
Nose, Ripe Strawberry with a touch of tobacco leaf.
Lovely balanced wine good red berry with damson coming through, warm soft tannins good length.
Plenty of time on its side, no rush.
7/10

Monte Real 1978
Nose, cranberry / damson deep fruity nose.
Fruit is still there but drying out and replaced by tobacco / spice with a touch of warmth.
Ruby with a brick edge.
Starting to fade IMO.
7/10

Ygay Especial 1978
Nose, fresh cranberry / cherry.
This wine had everything going on, strawberry, cranberry spice edge with tobacco coming through.
Great length, oak is noticeable but well integrated, still fresh and good fruit.
No rush.
Wow I love this wine.
9/10

Contino 1985
Nose, Deep ripe plum with a smokey edge. (cork was almost penetrated all the way through)
Deep garnet, great balance, oak/nutty with tobacco notes fully mature with back ground fruit coming through.
Fully mature drink up in next 12 months.
8/10

La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 1995
Nose, red berry spice sweet nose.
Elegant well balanced wine, strawberry, caramel, vanilla touch Christmas spice soft oak warm long finish.
Crumbs this is Fantastic, tannins softening but adds to the whole experence !! No rush !! anyone got ant spare for sale ??
My WOTN
10/10

We then had a couple of samples I received recently.

Parina 2008
Nose, ripe fruity
Cherry red currant nice and soft mellow tannins ok length.
6/10 due to cost 2.50 euros ex shipping good value

Segares Crianza 2008
Nose, Sherbet sweet/bitter edge
Fresh raspberry, oak notes nice balanced wine not over complicated.
Mid length.
7/10

Longaz Premier 2006
Nose, Blackberry vanilla sweet.
Plummy, peppery edge on the finish.
Good length
6/10

Watch this space for our next offliner sometime late Febraury.

Regards
Richard

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

Yeah, I also love the Ygay wines, both the reds and a beautiful white, that should not be left too long.

Glad to know that Ygay still delivers after all this time. I have drunk the Ygay 78 Especial I think, or was it '76 ? but at 10 years in. I would buy them, (there are 3 levels of Ygay, or were) as a special treat when staying in Competa, Andalusia. Cune as well as another with a Mountain Stag on the label - name escapes me for that one just now.

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Duncan

Duncan,

Always been a fan of Ygay, they cant do no wrong in my eyes.
Great affordable wines.

The 904 just pipped the 78 Ygay for me on the night.

_________________
He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

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Duncan

Duncan,

Look out for Vina Arana 2004 at Waitrose when they next have a sale.
You will not be dissapointed, drinking very nice now but 5/10 years will become a stunner.

Richard

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

A bit of La Rioja Alta learning coming next, so click to the next thread

Thank you Richard, the Waitrose price is £3 lighter than Amazon, although it has to be said that the wine can be acquired at 13-14 Euro in wine tax havens.

I have to watch the pennies....AND...do I need the Arana ?

You see, in addition I have a pair Vina Ardanza Reserva on the 2000. I know, the 2001, 1973 and 1964's are the only Ardanza Especials in the last 50 years ! There is a small mistake on cellar tracker. It is only in these years that the Especial is designated, and at more than double the price (triple in the UK with the tax !). The vintage 2000 is on the '73 label and in a burgundy shaped bottle, as is the new design label for the 2001 Esp.

I'll stay with the 904 and the Ardanza until I win at the dogs - for the mo.

Ardanza'01

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Duncan

Duncan,

Hi, just picked up 2 La Rioja Alta Reserva Especial 2001 Ardanza !!
£15.00 a bottle seemed a good price to me, any thoughts ??
Will hide these for a while I think.

Regards
Richard

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

Very good find, very nice for the price. Especial can be bought for £300 a case so you have done very well indeed for a pair.

Parker is giving this 2001 cuvee a new drinking window extending to *2035 ! Hmmnn ? The Advocate say 94 points, but when ? The wine will drink slightly differently at stages up to 2020. When will it peak - who knows ?

* Longer than GR 905 and up there with the GR 890. I wouldn't trust those extra drinking windows just now because Ardanza '01 is very lovely already. Follow the TN's in 5 years time to see what they say.

You do score very well Sir.

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Duncan

Duncan,

Hi, was thinking along those lines too !!
One in 5/6 years and the other 10/15 years from now.

Regards
Richard

_________________
He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.