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Bodegas Riojanas, Gran Albina 2004
£19.99
This 'Alte Expression' Rioja is made from hand-selected grapes and gets 24 months in new American oak caskes, creating an intense, concentrated and very modern style of red wine with chewy tannins and opulent fruits. Unlike traditional riojas, which are ready when released (although some can be kept), this needs a few years bottle age to reveal its true glory
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Bodegas Riojanas, Monte Real Gran Reserva 1998
£18.49
Unusually for Rioja, this is a single vineyard wine. The Rioja Alta fruit gives extra weight and body to this smoky, spicy wine, which is ready to drink but should keep in your cellar a while if you like
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Veenwouden, Merlot 2002
Online Catalogue | Sipped and Savoured | Veenwouden, Merlot 2002
 | Tasted March 2008
The Veenwouden estate is situated on the Northern side of Paarl, South Africa. It's owned by an international opera singer, Deon van der Walt. Deon's brother is the winemaker and both his parents manage the farm. It's a small operation (only 5 - 6000 cases a year) and as a result the wines are first class.
Both the brothers spent a lot of time on the Right bank of the Gironde in Bordeaux and this wine certainly has a real Right Bank style.
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Grapes: Merlot 90%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
Region: Coastal
Soil Type: Rich ferrous clay
Winemaking: The grapes are all hand-picked. A small crusher is used, to allow inspection of the bunches prior to crushing. The wines are initially fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel, then aged in 70% new 225 French oak barrels & 30% second fill barrels for two years prior to release.
ABV: 14% |
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Tasting Note
I haven't tasted this wine for a while and only had vague memories of it, so the first sip was a very pleasant surprise indeed. Gorgeous ripe plums, blackberries and dark cherries on the palate enhanced by a slightly earthy character that just gave it that extra complexity. Hints of liquorice, smooth ripe tannins and a long lingering finish made me breathe a long satisfied sigh.
Cellaring
I think this is drinking really well now, the winemaker reckons it will age gracefully until at least 2012.
If you like this, why not try...…another of our Bordeaux style South African wines maybe the Morgenster Estate, Lourens River Valley 2001, made by the winemaker from Cheval Blanc
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Online Catalogue | Sipped and Savoured | Veenwouden, Merlot 2002
