Rioja is a fascinating treasure trove for aged wines. All around the region, there are these huge cellars overflowing with multiple vintages of wine in barrel or bottle, almost like a mythical forgotten city of mature wine. The wines are cheap too, and especially underpriced when you do a bit of notepad maths about oak budgets. Names like Faustino are emblematic of what’s out there, with its proudly oak-shaped, deliberately aged form (complete with patented frosted bottle) a style in itself.
This Faustino I Rioja Gran Reserva Rioja 2011 is surprisingly rarely seen here in Australia, even though it’s one of the biggest aged Rioja brands on the planet. But that’s changing, as it’s now getting a run this month via the Aldi team at the wonderfully accessible price of $34.99. There’s an unquestioned charm about this red too – it’s still dark-coloured, and it smells so much younger than twelve years old. Leather, vanilla bean, brick dust. It’s more old red than anything about fruit, but that’s part of the schtick. Dusty oak tannins, a bittersweet leathery finish, and this underlying gentle caramel richness. It’s not a wine for winning trophies, and the age and oak and ever-dusty tannins make it something of a caricature – but this has a very firm place in the world of wine.
- Best drinking: it will live forever
- Score (out of 20): 17.5
- Score (out of 100): 91
- Alcohol %: 14
- RRP (in $AUD): 34.99
- Winery website: https://www.aldi.com.au/
- Would I buy it?: not strictly, but I appreciate it
THE VERDICT
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2 Comments
I had to laugh when I read this: “Best drinking: it will live forever.”
Well made Rioja Gran Reservas do indeed last a very long time. A 1976 Faustino I GR was still lovely, if you like this kind of thing, only a few years ago. Controversial at the time, the 2001 Faustino I GR was Decanter Magazine’s Wine of the Year. And A$34.99 is a very good price.
Cheers.
There is plenty of charm in some of those old Riojas isn’t there.