“At this price, you can buy multiple bottles and open one
every year or so and see how they develop with time.”
Click image to enlarge.
My wife and I are longtime Costco members, so whenever we shop there, I make a point of hitting the wine department to see what’s new. There is always something good to be had, and I like to try wines that I’ve either never had before or new vintages of those that I have. Sometimes, the selections are uninspiring and forgettable, but usually, the wines are good enough to review, and occasionally, I find little gems like the one in this report.
We learned to love Rioja back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, when we went through a lot of Marqués de Riscal. It wasn’t the Reserva that is usually found on shelves around here these days, and it was described on the label as “Rioja Light Red Wine.” It was by no means a “light” red however, as it had good weight and a delicious character from vintage to vintage that we loved. As time passed, we tried other Riojas, and the ones we liked most were various offerings from Bodegas Faustino, which seemed to honor tradition, rather than pander to new world sensibilities. When I saw this one, it was an easy choice to pick one up to try, and I’m not at all sorry that I did.
2017 Faustino V Rioja Reserva, 92% Tempranillo, 8% Mazuelo, 14% alc., $14.98: This is a very good Rioja at a very fair price, made in a style more old world than new. A full bodied red that has already benefited from some bottle time, as some of the leather, old wood and mahogany emerge to accentuate the substantial core of black cherry and blackberry fruit, with some added earth underneath it all. There is some oak apparent, but it adorns, rather than dominates, the wine’s personality. (The tasting notes indicate that it was aged in oak for 24 months.) This will continue to improve beyond its 10th birthday, but it’s already drinking well with just a little bit of air. At this price, you can buy multiple bottles and open one every year or so and see how they develop with time. Find this wine
Imported by Winebow Inc., New York, NY
There was a bin full of this stuff at the Madison Heights outlet a few days ago, so I picked up a few more bottles for the cellar. I’ll pick up a few more on my next visit if there’s still any to be had.
Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo
