Castillo de Viñas Rioja Crianza Red 2014 was selected as one of twelve “Tops Under $20” Spanish wines of the year, and one of 43 “Must-Try” wines in Food & Wine‘s “The Ultimate Spanish Wine Guide”, part of the extensive coverage in their Spain issue, September, 2017. Ray Isle, the Executive Wine Editor of this national publication, put together a highly selective guide to Spain’s broad range of wine regions, styles and trends.
The capsule review follows:
2014 Castillo de Viñas Rioja Crianza ($15)
This vanilla-scented red got a winemaking hand from Jesús Madrazo, the longtime winemaker at Rioja’s acclaimed Contino estate (whose wines run three or more times the price).
The 2014 Castillo de Viñas Crianza has a fragrant nose of mixed berries with notes of vanilla and spice. On the palate it’s smooth and juicy with lively cherry and berry flavors with hints of savory herbs, spice, violets and damp earth. The rich mid-palate is followed by a long and lively cherry finish. [more]