Bodegas Orben Rioja 2014

A Ridiculously Good Rioja

One of the great advantages of drinking Rioja is that the wines are released when they’re ready for drinking. When the ageing is done by the producer, all one has to do is find the right dish to pair it with and pull the cork.  The Tempranillo grape is similar to the ultra food-friendly Sangiovese because they both are medium-bodied, with abundant red cherry fruit and bold acidity. Coming from old Tempranillo vines, this bottling has good concentration and at six years old the integrated tannins melt into a silky texture. Fruit-forward and modern in style, it is abundant with black raspberry and pomegranate, followed by vanilla and coconut from the oak ageing, and finished with a flourish of pipe tobacco and spice. If ever there was a hero of the weeknight dinner table, Rioja is it!