Bob Campbell is one of only 264 Masters of Wine in the world. An international wine judge, Bob judges wine professionally in ten countries and contributes regularly to publications around the world. His specialty is New Zealand wine which he reviews from an international perspective.
Muriel Rioja Spain 2007
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84/100
If it's been a while since you've tasted Rioja prepare yourself for a surprise. The wines have evolved from being over-oaked and often oxidized to a far more modern style showing fruit, a good tannic structure and considerable complexity. This fairly rustic, gutsy Rioja offers a welcome change from New World reds in its price category. The wine shows some vaguely berry characters with floral/violet notes and a range of savoury influences including baked earth, toasted nut, star anise and some reasonably classy oak. It's designed to be enjoyed with food and indeed is transformed into an altogether smoother and more richly textured wine with roast lamb or a medium/rare steak.
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Tasted: May 2009 Average price: NZD $24 (~USD $16)
Note: USD pricing is a simple currency conversion from NZD and may not reflect the actual US retail pricing.
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