Global Masters Wine of the Week: Conde de los Andes Rioja

Every week we select a wine that picked up either a Gold or Master from our competition series, and tell you why the judges loved it. Enter the Global Masters and this could be your wine.

We’re in the process of putting together our Spain Report for the end of the year and now, with the judging for our 2019 Rioja Masters finally completed and the days getting colder, our minds have turned to warming reds with layers of smoke and spice to enjoy with some seasonal comfort food.

The Murúa family announced its purchase of Bodegas Ollauri, together with the building’s stocks and flagship Conde de los Andes brand, in 2014. Wine was first made on the site of the Conde de los Andes winery in the 1890s, but the brand itself was established about 70 years later, and has held a strong reputation for some years.

Riojas often develop with age, but our judges were already impressed with this expression’s “powerful” red and black fruits on the nose, which carried through to the palate with well-integrated flavours and a sound structure. One judge considered the Conde de los Andes a “modern” approach to Rioja, with a silky texture and powerful, juicy flavours “overlaid with spicy oak and a peppery finish.”

It’s a serious wine, no doubt, but it’s also very drinkable and, with a reasonable price tag, we think this is a perfect go-to red for the long nights ahead.

Incidentally, British Game Week kicks off on 25 November. We suggest ordering in a few bottles of Conde de los Andes to serve with seasonal pies, sausages, burgers or charcuterie, or for after-dinner conversations by the fire.

The wine: Conde de los Andes, Bodegas Ollauri

The source: Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain

The grape(s): Tempranillio (100%)

ABV: 14.5%

Ageing: 14 months in French oak (50% new oak), 12 months in bottle

The style: A juicy, punchy, modern ‘Vinos de Autor’, with powerful red fruit and a long, silky finish.

The winemaker: Chema Ryan

The price: £20-30

The medal: Gold – The Rioja Masters, 2016

Click here to find out more about our 2016 Rioja Masters competition.

With high quality judges and a unique sampling process, the Global Wine Masters provides a chance for your wines to star, whether they hail from the great vineyards of Europe or lesser-known corners of the New World.

It’s a competition dedicated to making winners out of winemakers.

Please visit the Global Masters website for more information, or please call +44 (0)20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com