Wine Advocate (96)

The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape) and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in the ancient oak vats from when the winery was created 144 years ago and matured in well-seasoned, American oak barrels for six years. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity. 260,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.

Vinous (91)

Opaque ruby. Oak-spice-accented red and blue fruits, vanilla, roasted coffee and a hint of smokiness on the perfumed nose. Supple and expansive in the mouth, offering concentrated black raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors that turn sweeter with air. The vanilla and cherry notes linger on the sweet, persistent finish, which is shaped by supple, harmonious tannins. Definitely showing its oak right now, but there's plenty of fruit to back it up.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

Fresh, serious, stylish and well balanced, this is a delightful 2015, with no sign of the heat of the vintage.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

Dark-garnet to the eye, this wine has a bouquet of black currant, bittersweet chocolate and almond blossom. It alights on the palate with flavors of blackberry, cassis, chocolate-covered espresso bean, violet and citrus zest. Energetic tannins power their way into a cherry-pie finish. Made with vines more than 30 years old, this wine is unfiltered; decant before serving and strain if necessary. Drink through 2045.

James Suckling (97)

Really beautiful aromas of crushed blackberry, brambleberry, hazelnut, walnut and light coffee, following through to a full yet so reserved and polished body with fine, creamy-textured tannins. Fresh and exquisite finish. This is a much more refined and harmonic rendition of their classic wine. Three years in French oak from their own production. Very enjoyable now, but this will improve with age for a long time.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

This dark-ruby wine offers a bouquet of ripe cherry and baking spices. Notes of clove and nutmeg transition to the palate alongside flavors of blackberry, cassis, chocolate-covered espresso bean, eucalyptus and violet. Luxurious tannins amble toward a lengthy finish. Drink through 2045.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2019 Reserva, sold as Crianza in Spain, comes from a dry and warm year with low yields and concentrated wines. The grapes from the Haro zone, the four from Rioja, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo and Graciano fermented destemmed and lightly crushed in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, and 80% of the volume matured in French oak and the rest in Centro European and American oak, 20% of them new, for 22 months, during which time the wine was racked every eight to nine months. This is serious and young but balanced, nuanced and complex. They are shortening the time in oak, as they feel they have better and younger barrels and think the wines need less time in oak and more time in bottle. This is very Muga, very Rioja and very good. They produced an impressive 960,000 bottles and 18,000 magnums of this. There is only one master blend that is bottled at different times. I tasted a bottle that was filled in April 2022 (because of the lack of availability of bottles!).

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Even better than the magical 2015, the 2016 Torre Muga offers a thrilling bouquet of cassis and assorted pure dark fruits, lead pencil, graphite, white flowers, and spice-laced aromas and flavors. While this cuvée is always thought of as the most modern in the lineup, it's far from it and has integrated oak, flawless balance, sweet tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's beautifully done and just a thrilling bottle of Rioja that's going to evolve for 20-30 years or more.

Decanter (95)

Grupo Bodegas Olarra was founded in 1973 and is now a large organisation producing wines under three different bodega names in Rioja and beyond. The Laztana 2011 is a blend of about 80% Tempranillo with 10% Garnacha and the remainder Graciano and Mazuelo, from vines aged on average for more than 30 years. Fermentation in stainless steel was followed by malolactic fermentation and nearly three months on lees in new 225-litre Allier oak barrels, then six further months in new oak before cask-ageing up to 27 months in total in a mix of new to five-year-old Allier and US barrels. The wine was subsequently cellared for 40 further months in bottle prior to its first release. Sarah Jane Evans MW - Truffly, balsamic, cherry aromas. Full-bodied and fleshy in the mouth, a really youthful wine, packed with energy. Notes of oranges, blackberries and redcurrants abound, then following through with a firm structure of tannin. Christine Parkinson - Spicy aromas of turmeric, cumin, strawberry and dark chocolate, which all carry through to the palate. Creamy layers of tannin are very appealing, and the strong core of acidity makes this a great wine for food. Very long, confident, concentrated finish. Beth Willard - Attractive nose of rose petal, peach and red cherry. Very ripe, jammy fruit, strawberry, with a touch of white pepper on the finish and fresh acidity. A more fruit-forward style of wine, with well balanced oak Drinking Window 2021 - 2033

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2020 Kalamity is Bastegieta's favorite vintage because of the floweriness and the quality of the tannins. There's a lot of precision here. The vines have been detoxed through years of working organically, so the soils have recovered from years of herbicide. 2020 and 2021 were challenging years because of the pandemic, but qualitatively, in Rioja they are excellent years. All wines ferment with indigenous yeasts, and in this case, the wine matured in 600-liter Stockinger oak barrels, which are his favorite for his wines. The wine already starts transmitting freshness from the nose, and the palate is a lot more obvious and makes you salivate. This is super clean, precise like a laser cut, with light and energy, fresher than the majority of Rioja with very fine, silky tannins that give it a beautiful texture with dry, chalky minerality. This is perfumed, elegant, nuanced, layered and beautifully balanced. This is still very young, clean and modern, with stuffing and balance to develop in bottle for a long time. 2,500 bottles produced.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

Pujanza wasn't hit by the hail that affected Rioja in 2017, but this is still a pretty concentrated number, made entirely from Tempranillo grown at 630 metres and aged in 25% new wood. Chalky, dense and youthful, it's a wine that's made to mature in bottle, combining intensity with focus, freshness and serious tannins

Wine Advocate (94+)

The single-vineyard red 2018 Finca Valdepoleo follows the line of the 2016, two cooler years. It's a fairly large plot that was planted in 1973 in the village of Laguardia on limestone and clay soils at 630 meters in altitude. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and also with some stems (something they don't normally do), and it matured in French oak barrels for one year. The finesse of this wine captured me, and I believe this is the finest vintage for this vineyard bottling. When I poured the whole range and had a quick look at all the wines, this one made me raise my eyebrows. It's elegant, subtle and pure, floral and aromatic, really expressive and captivating. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and nicely integrated oak. It's a modern version of the 2013. Truly outstanding. 60,000 bottles produced.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

The vines are still comparatively young at 19 years' old, but Norte, located at 730 metres on the slopes of the Sierra de Cantabria, is one of Rioja's greatest parcels. Influenced by the presence of limestone close to the surface, this is a thrilling Tempranillo that's taut, chalky and chiselled with serious, ageworthy tannins, sappy acidity and layers of red berry and black cherry fruit. 2025-35

Decanter (96)

Part of an accomplished range of Riojas from Laguardia producer Pujanza, this 100% Viura is grown on the small 3.5ha limestone vineyard of San Juan de Anteportalatina at 600m. This terroir produces a distinctive and distinguished white, with layered aromas, savoury notes, fresh lemon, preserved lemon, a touch of salinity, and stony minerality. Rioja's answer to white Burgundy: elegant, mineral, toasty, buttery, citrus, with real verve - a seam of focused acidity. Vibrant finish, long and layered with fresh grapefruit, saltiness, toasted nuts. Aged for 12 months in French oak and concrete. Limited production.

Expertly crafted by acclaimed winemaker Fernando Remirez de Ganuza, the Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva 2011 is a superb expression of Spanish finesse. Grapes are handpicked from the oldest vines in Rioja Alavesa, aged for 22 months in French oak, then bottled without filtration or clarification — manifesting an intense character that truly reflects its terroir. Its voluptuous bouquet bears notes of ripe red fruits, sweet spices, and smoky cedar, while the palate is noted for its well-structured tannins and endless finish. Drinking wonderfully now, the Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva 2011 also possesses remarkable cellaring potential. A benchmark in modern Rioja winemaking, this distinguished reserva aligns tradition with innovation, achieving a harmony highly coveted among fine wine enthusiasts. Fully certified by the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, it is indeed a testament to uncompromising quality and style.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

The talented Telmo Rodriguez is launching this wine onto the Place with its first vintage for the entirety of its production. The grapes are from a 3.8ha limestone-dominant plot within the family’s Remelluri estate, found in the foothills of the Sierra de Tolono mountains. A sweet and smoky attack, with a ton of flavours and fragrant aromatics that grab hold and hang on, from dense liquorice root to crushed stones to blueberry, redcurrant, rose petals and tobacco, nothing too much or too overwhelming, but you also feel the herb-strewn call of the vineyard and you want to be there, among the vines where this is made. Get hold of it now, enjoy the brilliance of Telmo Rodriguez and the sense of place that he can bring to a wine. A field blend, as with the brilliant Remelluri Blanco, with just over 7,000 bottles in this inaugural vintage. An outstanding first outing that you should be following - believe me, this is a cult wine in the making.

In the realm of South African wines, the Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Semillon 2017 is remarkable. Produced in the highly-regarded Swartland region, this wine is crafted by John and Tasha Seccombe, bolstering a reputation for subtlety and sophistication. A limited production is achieved annually, resulting from rigorous hand-picking from venerable, dry-farmed bush vines.

The Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Semillon 2017 boasts a captivating nose of lemon cream, white flowers, and chamomile. The palate reveals underlying power with intriguing notes of beeswax, green apple, and freestone sprinkled with sea salt. Equipped with a vibrant acidity, it assures a long, resonant finish.

The wine undergoes natural fermentation in old French oak, followed by 10 months of maturation featuring regular lees stirring. This process refined its texture, offering a layered, caressing mouthfeel. An Old World-style Semillon principally tailored for the contemporary palate, the Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Semillon 2017 is undeniably a refined liquid delicacy.

Vinous (93)

The 2017 Rocking Horse is a blend of five grape varieties that was matured in used oak. It has a knockout bouquet of well-defined citrus peel, orange blossom, nutmeg and light peppery scents. The palate is well balanced, with a fine bead of acidity and quite saline in the mouth, and displays lovely viscosity toward a finish that feels full of tension. In a word: rocking.

Vinous (96)

The 2020 Rocking Horse is a blend of 35% Sémillon, 28% Roussanne, 16% Chardonnay, 15% Chenin Blanc and 6% Clairette Blanche, whole-bunch-pressed and matured in used oak. It has a well-defined, flor-like bouquet offering brioche, grilled walnut, bales of straw and smoke. The fabulous palate presents a sensual honeyed texture effortlessly counterbalanced by acidity. Very harmonious, revealing dried honey, walnut and ginger on the finish. This is a masterclass in winemaking and it will age brilliantly in bottle... if you can resist pulling that cork.

Christian Eedes (97)

32% Roussanne, 29% Semillon, 19% Chardonnay, 16% Chenin Blanc and 4% Clairette Blanche sourced from the Cape winelands. Sensational aromatics of green, white and yellow fruit, flowers, herbs and spice plus a touch of flinty reduction – very expressive but not at all vulgar or overwrought. The palate has great fruit definition, a lovely line of acidity and finish that is long and dry. Precisely made, the whole very much more than the sum of the parts.

Vinous (91)

The 2017 Wanderer’s Heart is a multiregional blend of Rhône varieties driven by the Grenache, matured in used oak with higher proportion of whole clusters on the Grenache. It has a floral, pure bouquet that features light scents of broom, fennel and white pepper. The palate is well balanced with gentle grip in the mouth, nice structure (perhaps more so than expected) and a precise, lightly spiced finish where the Mourvèdre imparts a subtle medicinal note. Excellent.

Vinous (92)

The 2018 Wanderer’s Heart has a lovely, lilting bouquet of wild strawberry, dark cherries, pressed rose petals and light fynbos scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and moderate fruit concentration. The fleshy, slightly herbal finish is nicely composed. This is very well crafted by John Seccombe.

Wine Advocate (94+)

I found a very complete 2015 Finca Martelo that followed the style and the quality path of the previous vintages. The release of this wine was an important milestone for Torre de Oña, where they look for the typicity of Rioja Alavesa through a blend of old-vine Tempranillo with 6% other varieties (Mazuelo, Garnacha and even white Viura). 2015 was a healthy harvest, and the wine shows a nice combination of power and elegance. It's clean and modern but with a traditional twist, some developed aromas and very fine chalky tannins from the limestone-rich soils. 80,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2019.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2016 Finca Martelo comes from one of the longest harvests in their history. It's a blend of Tempranillo with 6% other varieties, Mazuelo, Garnacha and even white Viura intermixed in the field with a south-facing slope on very white soils. The grapes were hand picked, destemmed and crushed, then put through a seven-day cold soak before fermenting (uncrushed) in stainless steel followed by malolactic that took 98 days. The wine matured in used oak barrels, 80% American and 20% French, for 24 months with four traditional rackings. This wine has a separate winery with smaller vats for each of the plots, and the wine was kept in vat for a further six months before it was bottled in June 2020. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.57. It has a lively and young color and a very expressive nose (the cold soak and the semi-carbonic maceration), and there is a strong spiciness despite the fact they never use any new oak. It's mellow and round, with glossy tannins and a very gentle mouthfeel, with good complexity and those chalky tannins. This is a young and more modern wine than the range from la Rioja Alta. This is a wine that was developed between 2005 and 2012, and they saw the mix of barrels worked better than a single origin. 80,000 bottles produced.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

The latest vintage of Etienne Cordonnier’s wine, made with the help of Rioja legend Jesus Madrazo, is every bit as exciting as the 2014. Now housed in its own winery in Languardia, this is fasting turning into one of the very best producers in the region. Combining Tempranillo with 7% Graciano, it’s wonderfully perfumed and refined with polished tannins, tangy acidity and orange peel and blackberry fruit flavours. Delicious.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

Now established in his own state-of-the-art modern winery and the owner of 19 hectares in Languardia, Navaridas and Lapueble de Labarca, divided into 19 different parcels, Etienne Cordonnier is producing one of Rioja’s most distinguished wines. The 2016 is the best release yet, made from Tempranillo and 8% Graciano and showing scented, floral elegance, fine tannins and subtle wood. Margaux meets Rioja?