CVNE’s Imperial is one of Rioja’s best value, ageworthy wines. This is still an infant and will need at least another five years in bottle to come close to its best. Dense, concentrated and sweetly oaked with a chalky undertone adding freshness and bite to the plum and raspberry fruit flavours. Traditional Rioja at its youthful best.
Country: Spain
2013 Attis, Albariño, Rías Baixas
( £14.49, 12.5%, www.ralphswinecafe.com )Made in a pithy style, this tasty Albariño comes from the Val do Salnés sub-region. Pear, quince and white pepper notes are deftly combined on the palate, supporting good texture and concentration. Tangy and refreshing on the finish, with notes of lemon peel and oyster shell.
2013 Granbazan Ambar, Albariño, Rías Baixas
( £17, 12.5%, www.amathusdrinks.com )A strong contender for the title of Spain’s worst wine label, this is an Albariño that tastes a lot better than it looks. It’s a bone dry, saline white with notes of citrus and oyster shell and a long, citrus fresh finish. Minerally and focused with a hint of fennel on the finish.
2013 Flor de Vetus, Verdejo, Rueda
( £12-15, 13%, Excel Wines )Verdejo can be a bit of a one glass grape, but this high altitude example is chiselled and refined, with tangy acidity, flavours of pear, citrus and stone fruit and a long, satisfying, stony finish.
2012 Cullerot, Celler del Roure, Valencia
( £12.99, 13%, Davis Bell McCraith, Tivoli Wines )A highly unusual (possibly unique?) blend of Macabeo, Verdil, Pedro Ximénez and Chardonnay from Valencia of all places, this stylishly packaged, leesy white was made with very little suplhur, but it’s cleaner and fresher than many “natural” wines. Ageing takes place in clay amphorae, rather than oak and the result is all about fruit: apple, pear and a hint of stone fruit with subtle spices.
2013 Pazo Barrantes, Albariño, Rías Baixas
( £18.49, 13% )Owned by the same family that makes Marqués de Murrieta in Rioja (they were originally from Galicia). It’s a white pepper scented, bone dry style with plenty of texture and weight on the tongue, showing notes of stone fruit and pear and a crunchy, stony finish.
Wine’s tipping point
by Tim Atkin
To thine own self be true. Polonius’ advice to his son Laertes in Hamlet is arguably easier to give than to follow. Most of us make regular compromises in our...
Split infinity
by Matt Walls
What do you feel like drinking tonight? Red or white? Still or sparkling? Dry or sweet? With an endless number of wines in countless styles to choose from, it’s necessary...
Don’t forget your corkscrew
by Matt Walls
There’s a point at which you can tell that a passing interest in wine has turned into something more involved. You don’t notice it at the time; it’s not a...
2010 Colet Navazos, Extra Brut, Penedès
( £13, 12.5% )An ambitious, Xarel-lo-based Cava that spent 30 months on lees before disgorgement, this is rich, toasty and savoury, with creamy bubbles, a dry finish and bags of nutty, honeyed complexity. A first class alternative to cheap Champagne.
2013 Oller del Mas, Petit Bernat, Pla de Bages
( £9, 14% )A great value blend of Picapoll Negre, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot made in an easy drinking style, with a touch of oak for added structure and complexity. Supple, attractive, raspberry and red cherry fruit with smooth tannins and balancing acidity. A really good quaffing red.
2011 Celler de Capçanes, Mas Collet, Barrica, Montsant
( £12, 14% )An oak-aged blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Capçanes co-operative that shows why Montsant is such a good value alternative to neighbouring Priorat. The oak is just a top note here, despite the name of the wine, adding complexity to the flavours of plum, cassis and hot stones. The wine finishes with a dry, mineral flourish that ties it all together, like a bow on a gift-wrapped present.