Bodegas Chavarri Larchago Rioja Reserva 2016

93 Points, James Suckling

The last great vintage in Rioja was the magical 2010 – and those have been long gone. I dabbled a little in other vintages, but haven’t been able to find anything really great until the release of the 2016s. There are a lot of similarities that can be drawn. Both years were consistently warm and dry throughout the growing season, creating the perfect environment for structured and balanced reds. But this one is off the charts and somehow still available. It’s like the last of the Mochicans!

This can be whatever you need it to be with food. That’s why I love it so much. It works with everything from spring salads to a charcuterie plate to pigs in the blanket or even the main course! Honestly, it holds it own at the dessert table too – it’s that versatile! It’s a BIG RED that can really dance. Great harmony, silky red fruit, and super lively!

 

Original price was: $25.00.Current price is: $17.50.

Availability: In stock


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93 Points, James Suckling
Savory and complex nose with minty blueberries, cedar, wet leaves, tobacco and chili chocolate. Quite sleek, refined and juicy, medium-bodied palate, showing lots of restraint and elegance. Long and precise. Delicious now, but can hold for another five years, too.

This is a versatile wine that goes great with a lot of food. It’s what I call a chameleon wine. Whether it be an appetizer wine with the pigs in the blankets, a main course sturdy BIG RED or even a wine that can play nicely with dessert, this has it all in spades. It’s a juicy number from a great producer in Bodegas Chavarri.

They’ve been a main player in Rioja since the late 1800’s and make almost two dozen wines from native grapes. Their Tempranillo is the family’s calling card. They make expressive wines with bright red tones, fruity and sage filled aromas and incredibly food-friendly. .The location of the family vineyards under the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range gives the wines the unique and authentically Rioja personality.

But it’s their 2016 Rioja Reserva that is the true showstopper. I even blind tasted one of my buddies that thought it was a Napa Cab! James Suckling called it, “savory and complex”, “refined”, “juicy”, “elegant” and “precise” in his 93-point review which is just about as excited I’ve seen Mr. Suckling in any review he’s written this year.

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