Altos D`Oliva, Gran Reserva, Catalonia 2010
A deliciously mature Gran Reserva at only £9.45 a bottle from Altos d'Oliva. A fine blend of tempranillo, garnacha and cabernet sauvignon that has been one of our best-selling red wines for many years. This vintage, with eight years bottle age, having spent 36 months in oak, is now at its peak and perfect for drinking. It is in my opinion, the equal of many much more expensive wines - watch out Rioja!
This remarkable wine is from high up in the relatively unknown Terra Alta of Catalunya, just South of Priorat, where the growers are very old school and do everything by hand and are not (yet) commercially attuned. Quite extraordinarily great value.
How does the wine taste?
A deep reddish purple with complex fruit aromas. A rich, fresh wine with red berry and mineral flavours that come from vines of a certain age.
What do the critics say?
"A tasty blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha that has spent three years in oak and two in bottle before release. It seems suspiciously cheap tome (a Rioja Gran Reserva would be twice if not thrice the price) but it cut the mustard when I tasted it and I enjoyed its smooth, spicy dark fruit and long chewy finish."
Jonathan Ray, The Spectator
