The Parting Glass - Vina Albina Seleccionada Reserva Magnums

Two bottles but only one cork to remove!

Rioja is in Northern Spain, located south of the Cantabrian Mountains along the Ebro river. It has three specific regions which aren’t recognised as divisions but do produce distinctive styles of Rioja: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja. Vina Albina is in the Rioja Alta area, which is located on the western edge of the region and at higher elevations than the other areas, and is known more for its "old world" style of wine. Alavesa tends to produce a bigger bodied style with higher acidity, more new world like and the wines from Baja tend to be big and heavy courtesy of scorching summer heat and are generally blended. The Vina Albina Reserva is considered highly representative of classic Rioja Alta wines, with 24 months in American oak and a further year resting in the bottle. On the wonderfully elegant nose there are hints of ageing and notes of dark berry fruit, mushroom and spice. Fine and well-structured in the mouth, with good acidity and polished tannins, the fruit follows from the nose and leads to a complex finish, with a delicate, persistent fragrance.