Bodegas Tobía – Cuvée Blanco Rioja Last year, I tried a glass of Rioja Cuvée Blanco from Bodegas Tobía, a producer then unknown to me. As there are 66,902 hectares of vines and 748 producers in Rioja selling around 325 million bottles annually in many diverse styles, perhaps you’ll forgive me for not knowing all of them.1 Meanwhile, this glass …
Mi Lugar Rioja from Bodega Queirón is WOTY 2023
Mi Lugar Rioja from Bodega Queirón is WOTY 2023 The Wine of the Year (WOTY) 2023 award from Wine Alchemy goes to Bodega Queirón in Spain for their extra-special red wine, Mi Lugar Rioja DOCa, 2018. As is usual, the Wine Alchemy WOTY must be inspirational. Exceptional taste is a given. But, in addition, the winning wine must be genuinely …
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Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023
Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023 I hope you like my Yuletide card to you all! Like last year, I remain mindful that living costs stay off the scale. However, unlike the previous year, there’s no overall price cap, but each category includes a “budget” wine. No compromises have been made regarding excellence and value in recommending …
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Discovering Dry Sherry, Part 2. May the Flor be with you
Dry Sherry, Parte Dos. May the Flor be With You. Manzanilla, Manzanilla Pasada, Amontillado and Palo Cortado In Parte Uno of discovering dry Sherry, we met Fino and Oloroso. These are entirely different from each other yet they originate from the same base wine. The essential difference between them is that their creation is either by ageing biologically with flor (Fino) or …
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Discovering Dry Sherry, Part 1: Fino and Oloroso
Discovering Dry Sherry Parte Uno: Fino and Oloroso Britain has enjoyed Sherry since the 14th century and was primarily responsible for its subsequent worldwide popularity through merchant trading. It comes in all sorts of dry (and sweet) versions. This first piece focuses on Discovering Dry Sherry, the Vinos Generosos, Spain’s great gift to the world. Part 1 of this article …
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A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines
A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines Below are three wines, two whites and a red. Each one shows individuality, a great beverage in its unique way, combining people, place, and culture. However, there is also something even rarer about them, as they are unconventional creations. They offer a subtle dislocation of the norm. Tetramythos, Retsina Amphorae, Traditional Designation, …
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The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022
The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022 I hope you like my Christmas card! Everyone knows we’re in a cost-of-living crisis, so this situation has affected my wine recommendations for the festive season. We all want to celebrate and enjoy ourselves, but in a cost-conscious way. What is a wine-lover to do? A real price cap Hence, for …
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Rioja Wine Month returns throughout October 2022
Rioja Wine Month returns throughout October 2022 Rioja Wine Month comes to the U.K. throughout October 2022. It’s a month-long celebration of Rioja, Spain’s most famous wine region. Meanwhile, this article represents my small contribution to Rioja Wine Month. It contains ten recommendations, first tried at the annual Wines of Spain tasting held earlier this year and then subsequently followed up. …
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Límite Norte – a stunning white Rioja from Ramōn Bilbao
Límite Norte – a stunning white Rioja from Ramōn Bilbao Finding a wine that leaves you transfixed is a rare event, even more so when it’s unexpected. Then, momentarily, you feel like you’ve found the grail. And so it was with Límite Norte, a Rioja Blanco from the Ramōn Bilbao winery in Haro. It’s worth stressing that I knew nothing …
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Christmas 2021 – a dozen delights
Christmas 2021 – a dozen delights Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to you all! Thanks for reading, supporting and encouraging me during this incredibly challenging year. Here’s my present to you all – the pick of the wines for Christmas 2021, together with a Christmas Card. This year there are a dozen delights. All come highly recommended for …
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