Viña Marichalar Gran Reserva 2009

If you're a fan of Rioja, you're likely to be well acquainted with the superb wines of the Manzanos brothers, David and Victor. Our Buyer Beth is an admirer, and a good friend, so was quick to respond when they tipped her off that they'd bought an exciting new bodega in the Alta, the holy grail for those who like the most elegant of Riojas. The brothers wanted to clear the cellars of its precious old stocks of oak matured wines, to make room for new wines they were making there. First to be asked, Beth got pick of the wines, and all at impressively low prices. Long aged in oak, then in bottle, this Gran Reserva is richly layered with mature red fruit, cedar, spice and oak notes. Silky, complex and long, it's a great partner to game dishes.