Hobbyist continues on the Rioja journey - Bias included…
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Hobbyist continues on the Rioja journey - Bias included.
La Rioja Alta
Vina Ardanza
2019
This is an incredibly fun bottle of wine. I've been searching for it in local wine stores for the past week or two and came across it today by chance and it worked out incredibly well for reasons other than getting my hands on this.
Nose upon opening: Chocolate, chocolate & more chocolate. It's dusty & tight. Needs time to open.
Decanted it for around 2 hours before I really sat down with it and this was worth the wait.
Nose: Cherry liqueur, tart red fruits & blueberries. Clove, baking spices, dill, chocolates.
Palate: Lean, not light. Medium bodied with ripping acid and incredibly integrated tannins. Prominent but texturally non descriptive (not chalky, fine, grainy etc) - they're just present and good. The acid really lifts this wine but not in an off-putting way which really turns me off a lot of Rioja. Sweet & sour vibes done right.
Confirms the nose in every way. Could absolutely benefit from sitting for a few more years but if you let this breathe for a few hours, it's drinking beautifully.
Finish is phenomenal & showcases the nose excellently. There's definitely some added spice showing here also. Pepper in abundance.
I went into this expecting a much more jammier profile after drinking quite a bit of Rioja over the past six weeks. The pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly with this wine and I wasn't disappointed with how fresh it is - it's one of the standout parts that separates it from others. I did think it was a bit medicinal on the nose at one stage with the clove and cherry liqueur but it settles into the wine rather nicely.
I spent the first decade of my working life in upmarket bars & restaurants, developing a huge passion for food & alcohol. I got out a few years ago after running a quality cocktail bar where I lived but never let the passion dwindle, settling for sitting on the right side of the bar & a cosy office job instead.
The manager of the wine store asked if I needed any assistance today & we ended up chatting for over an hour which unbeknownst to me was basically an interview. She validated a lot of my thoughts & opinions on wine and offered me a job on the spot. Will the hobbyist turn to a different side of the industry? Probably not, but I'm absolutely beaming with joy over the whole situation.
Cheers.
#drink #food
source
La Rioja Alta
Vina Ardanza
2019
This is an incredibly fun bottle of wine. I've been searching for it in local wine stores for the past week or two and came across it today by chance and it worked out incredibly well for reasons other than getting my hands on this.
Nose upon opening: Chocolate, chocolate & more chocolate. It's dusty & tight. Needs time to open.
Decanted it for around 2 hours before I really sat down with it and this was worth the wait.
Nose: Cherry liqueur, tart red fruits & blueberries. Clove, baking spices, dill, chocolates.
Palate: Lean, not light. Medium bodied with ripping acid and incredibly integrated tannins. Prominent but texturally non descriptive (not chalky, fine, grainy etc) - they're just present and good. The acid really lifts this wine but not in an off-putting way which really turns me off a lot of Rioja. Sweet & sour vibes done right.
Confirms the nose in every way. Could absolutely benefit from sitting for a few more years but if you let this breathe for a few hours, it's drinking beautifully.
Finish is phenomenal & showcases the nose excellently. There's definitely some added spice showing here also. Pepper in abundance.
I went into this expecting a much more jammier profile after drinking quite a bit of Rioja over the past six weeks. The pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly with this wine and I wasn't disappointed with how fresh it is - it's one of the standout parts that separates it from others. I did think it was a bit medicinal on the nose at one stage with the clove and cherry liqueur but it settles into the wine rather nicely.
I spent the first decade of my working life in upmarket bars & restaurants, developing a huge passion for food & alcohol. I got out a few years ago after running a quality cocktail bar where I lived but never let the passion dwindle, settling for sitting on the right side of the bar & a cosy office job instead.
The manager of the wine store asked if I needed any assistance today & we ended up chatting for over an hour which unbeknownst to me was basically an interview. She validated a lot of my thoughts & opinions on wine and offered me a job on the spot. Will the hobbyist turn to a different side of the industry? Probably not, but I'm absolutely beaming with joy over the whole situation.
Cheers.
#drink #food
source
| 5,000 mlx | |
| 6 | |
| 0 |