First up was Vintae Clea Reserva 2011 from Ribera del Duero. I have often joked that the appellation should be called Ribena del Duero since the aromatic profile is often more like Ribena than wine: blackcurrant and sweetness (plus massive oak of course). The first positive is that this doesn't smell or taste of Ribena but of wine. Sure there's a bit of oak but there's also a nice savoury touch to the fruit and some honest tannins and freshness that makes this much more easy to drink than the majority of Ribena del Dueros I've recently had. It's big, but it's refreshing, too. Since it was recently discounted to about 15€ I'm tempted to buy a couple more to open when a bigger red is needed.
Second we opened a Marqués de Murrieta Finca Ygay Gran Reserva 2005 from Rioja. Once again, it's pretty oaky yet since it isn't a sickly-sweet vanilla and toffee aroma I'm not disgusted by it. It seems more woodsy than woody.
I can see this morphing into one of those oxidative, citric delights that I so love from Rioja once it gets plenty of age. But right now it seems quite young despite some nice leathery scents. Tangy and savoury palate, nice acidity, very crunchy and really quite moreish. Not a bargain at the 35€ we have to pay for it.Both worked well bit the bloody red meat and worked as wine version winter warmer beers - very important today since it was genuinely cold. But I have to wonder if my semi-hiatus from wine has made me more tolerant to oak? I'm not so sure I'd have enjoyed such wines a couple years back. How soon will I turn back into my usual intolerant self?
