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The Rioja wine region extends for 120 km along the upper reaches of the Ebro river valley in north central Spain, flanked to the north by the protective peaks of the Sierra Cantabrica and from the arid southerly winds by the Sierra de la Demanda. In the west and on the higher ground are the two cooler Atlantic influenced regions of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, to the east the Rioja Baja basks in the Mediterranean warmth. The climactic variation determines the cultivation of the different grape varieties, in the west Tempranillo and the all-important Graciano ripen during the long autumn and gain their greatest elegance, while in the east Mazuelo, aka Cariñena, and Garnacha Tinto are charged with the power of the sun. Within the last five years a new breed of winemaker has emerged, ignoring both the tradition and winemaking rules of La Rioja. By seeking out the oldest vineyards, particularly of Tempranillo , that craft wines that have a greater intensity and purity of fruit. The wines spend far less time in wood, therefore do not comply to the crianza or reserva specification and the preference is for the finest French oak over the traditional American. |
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£ Bottle |
£ Magnum |
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10 Livor, Viña Ijalba, organic tempranillo |
22.00 | ||||
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11 Alto Rio, tempranillo |
21.00 | ||||
| 08 Tritium roble, (lightly oaked) | 25.00 | ||||
| These wines, whilst necessarily Joven under the regulations of Rioja, are made by maverick winemakers, who hold more value in the quality of the produst than slavishly following regulations. they are unusual wines, which deviate from the norm, but are well worth exploring. | |||||
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07 Lanzaga, tempranillo |
43.00 | ||||
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05 Allende, tempranillo |
48.00 | ||||
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06 Paisaje VII, garnacha |
48.50 | ||||
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05 Viña Cubillo, tempranillo/garnacha/mazuelo/graciano |
42.00 | ||||
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09 La Montesa, herencia Remondo |
40.00 | ||||
| 07 Bodegas Landeluce (carbonic maceration) | 31.50 | ||||
| 08 Fernandez de Pierola, tempranillo | 34.00 | ||||
| 09 Ijalba, graciano | 31.00 | ||||
| 08 Alto Rio, tempranillo | 24.00 | ||||
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| 01 Decenio, Bodegas Las Orcas | 35.50 | ||||
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01 Viña Tondoñia, tempranillo/garnacha/mazuelo/graciano |
64.00 | ||||
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04 Fernandez de Pierola, tempranillo |
43.00 | ||||
| 05 Capricho de Landaluce | 75.00 | ||||
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07 Viña Izadi, tempranillo |
35.00 | ||||
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06 Roda, tempranillo/graciano/garnacha |
63.00 | ||||
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| 91 Viña Tondonia | 144.00 | ||||
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04 Castillo y gay |
120.00 | ||||
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95 La Rioja Alta ‘890’ |
220.00 | ||||
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Outside of the more well known regions such as Priorato, many of the smaller regions of Catalan Spain have silently been turning out some of the most outstanding and exciting wines in Europe. More influenced by their French neighbours than their Castillian ones these wines tailor their modern characteristics with grace and style. |
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10 Vall Major, garnacha/syrah |
19.00 | ||||
| 09 Las Colinas del Ebro, syrah/garnacha | 25.00 | ||||
| 09 Alges, garnacha/syrah/tempranillo | 41.00 | ||||
| 08 Clos de Torribas, tempranillo/cabernet sauvignon | 25.00 | ||||
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07 Terraprima, biodynamic-organic cabernet franc/garnacha |
34.50 | ||||
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97 Reserva Real, Miguel Torres |
100.00 | ||||
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09 Augustus, cabernet sauvignon/merlot |
31.00 | ||||
| 10 Floresta, garnacha | 21.00 | ||||
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11 Oriol, garnacha/cariñena/syrah/samso |
31.00 | ||||
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10 Saulo Negre, Espelt, garnacha/carinena |
31.50 | ||||
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05 Clos d’Agon, cabernet sauv/cabernet franc/syrah |
105.00 | ||||
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On a dark starry night in 1163 a shepherd boy awoke to a vision of angels descending from Heaven. Enter an Order of Carthusian monks who founded a priory on the site, Priorat de Scala Dei (Priory of the Stairway to God). The monks planted grape vines on the craggy steep mountain sides, where today very old garnacha tinto and cariñena bush vines cling to the slopes at altitudes between 100-700 metres. Yields are very low resulting in intensely concentrated wines that can last for a generation or more. Recently small parcels of cabernet sauvignon and syrah have been planted to enhance aromas and to stiffen further these heavenly wines. Typically, the wines are very vinious with savoury, minerally black fruit, with hints of cigar, tar, mocha and liquorice. They are as dark as the night. |
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10 Padanou, Ceps Nous |
40.00 | ||||
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10 Serras del Priorat, garnacha/carineña/cabernet |
44.00 | ||||
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10 Marge, garnacha/merlot.cabernet/syrah |
44.00 | ||||
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08 Font de la Figuera, garnacha/carineña |
52.00 | ||||
| 07 Mas la Mola, garnacha/carineña, cabernet sauvignon | 60.00 | ||||
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07 Roquers de Porrera |
68.00 | ||||
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07 Clos de Manyetes, carineña/ garnacha |
96.00 | ||||
| 07 Clos Mogador, garnacha/cabernet sauvignon/syrah/carineña | 96.00 | ||||
| 99 L'Ermita, garnacha/cabernet sauvignon | 400.00 | ||||
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The region that encircles the Priorat. The wines are similar to Priorat wines but offer real value as they are from just outside the much sought after D.O. |
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| 10 Sola Fred, samso/garnacha | 25.00 | ||||
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06 Laurona, garnacha/merlot/syrah/cabernet sauvignon |
42.00 | ||||
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09 Orto, samso/tempranillo/garnacha |
33.50 | ||||
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06 Venus ‘la Universal’, syrah |
48.00 | ||||
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09 Dido ‘La Universal’, garnacha/syrah |
35.00 | ||||
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04 Espectacle, garnacha |
98.00 | ||||
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West of Peñedes, north of Taragona, east of Costers del Segre, this area is a relatively new DO with a history of growing grapes for Cava, but has a perfect micro climate and terroir for some varietals and there are a small band of bodegas taking advantage of them to create magnificent wines. |
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| 10 Nas de Gegant, garnacha/carineña/merlot/cabernet sauvignon/cehnin blanc (biodynamic/no added sulphites) | 38.50 | ||||
| 09 Moli de Capellans, trepat | 38.50 | ||||
| 08 Moli de Capellans, selecio, ull de llebre/syrah | 43.00 | ||||
| 07Moli de Capellans, premium, cabernet sauvignon | 55.00 | ||||
| More Red Wines | |||||