2000 Señorío de P.Peciña Reserva Rioja (Previously $30)

A most excellent rioja! Wonderful cherry and earth notes with just enough age to make it subdued and elegant. A perfect choice for those of you who want an "old world" style without having to wait for it to mellow.

Here we have a great example of traditional Rioja from a good vintage: a complex bouquet, showing earthy, mushroomy, dried fruit aromas upfront, with darker notes of cocoa and fig as well as lifted notes of red fruit and spice, which are echoed on the palate. Medium-bodied, with a velvety mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a long finish that remains lifted by balanced acidity, this wine is more structured than the 2003 and makes an elegant option for a variety of foods, especially of the Iberian or North African ilk. It would be delicious with a Moroccan lamb tagine (say, with raisins, almonds, and honey) but equally delightful accompanying a good spanish or Basque cheese (like smoked Idiazabal cheese) or even something a little piquant, such as a personal favorite of mine and specialty of Turi, my favorite Argenitine host father-turned-Gallego, fried pimientos de padron.