At a Rioja tasting last week, the undoubted best sip of the night was the Faustino I Gran Reserva, 1996.
Rioja is a region in Spain, and the wines from that region – mostly reds – are also called Rioja. These wines are most frequently associated with the country, and there are some excellent values out there.
Deep and caramel-like, the Faustino I Gran Reserva, 1996, has some fruit (cherries are a usual descriptor) and enough acid to perk up the tongue.
More importantly, the wine has the indescribable flavor of the earth that I don’t find in all riojas (especially the younger ones or crianzas). Made of 85% Tempranillo (the key grape in the wines of this region), and aged in oak, this is the flagship of the Faustino line.
Available at Binny’s for around $30, it’s a wine to drink now or hold: a super sip.
If you have a favorite wine in any price range, tell us about it.
