"Opaque ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes black raspberry, cherry cola, potpourri and exotic spices, and smoky mineral and vanilla nuances build in the glass. Appealingly sweet, palate-coating red and blue fruit preserve, spicecake, mocha and candied lavender flavors show excellent depth as well as energy and back-end lift. Finishes impressively long, smoky and precise, with polished tannins adding framework and closing grip." - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
"Graciano has its fans," says Luis Valentín and this wine could add a few more of them. Built on a foundation of acidity and tannin, it's peppery and intense with lots of damson and blackberry fruit, perfumed oak and the shuddering grip that's typical of the variety. - Tim Atkin MW
Valenciso Rioja Rosé 2020, "Not for Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso the fashionable Côtes de Provence style of rosé. Instead, they make a deeper coloured "sangrado" style from Tempranillo. Structured, serious and fresh, with lees-derived weight and notes of strawberry, redcurrant and blood orange." - Tim Atkin MW
Valenciso Rioja Reserva Red 2015 Magnum, "From an Atlantic styled vintage, the 2015 brims with elegance and finesse. The result is a beautifully cool, spicy and elegant Rioja with plenty of red fruited strawberry sweetness spiked with more-ish meaty characters, brown spices and aniseed notes. It has a supple texture and a fresh, racy finish. Super classy is this fine vino." - Tim Atkin MW
Valenciso Rioja Reserva Red 2015, "From an Atlantic styled vintage, the 2015 brims with elegance and finesse. The result is a beautifully cool, spicy and elegant Rioja with plenty of red fruited strawberry sweetness spiked with more-ish meaty characters, brown spices and aniseed notes. It has a supple texture and a fresh, racy finish. Super classy is this fine vino." - Tim Atkin MW
Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva 2018, "Textbook stuff from the Mugas, this is a pan-regional assemblage of Tempranillo with 30% Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano. Youthful, structured and refreshing, it's the kind of Reserva that will reward cellaring but will be drunk too young. Textured and balanced with racy acidity and flavours of liquorice, blackberry and vanilla. 2023-30" - Tim Atkin MW