Marques de Riscal Reserva 2008

Darlene Myers rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

I love this wine. It's one of my favorites to bring to someone's house, as it even looks elegant with its gold netting. And the wine doesn't disappoint. This is a gorgeous wine made mostly from Tempranillo with a little Graciano and Mazuelo. The wine is full of rich flavors of spice and dark fruits. Because its from Rioja, you know its aged for a minimum of 2 years in oak, which is evident in the finish. Great structure and balanced tannins, my favorite meal with this wine is a pork tenderloin, but it goes with many other dishes including ham and a host of grilled meats.

Matt Steeves rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Remarkably complex and well structured wine that sells for half of what it could (don't tell anyone that though)!

90% Tempranillo, aged for 2 years in oak, then one year in bottle before release gives this full bodied wine an incredibly soft mouthfeel, with complex and well integrated flavours that pair perfectly with braised meats, especially lamb with rosemary, garlic, and thyme.

Plums, herbs, spices, balsamic notes, sauteed mushrooms, cedar, and sandalwood on the nose with matching flavours leading to a long round savory finish.

Widely available, but not well known, this has been my go-to wine for years, and has always impressed the friends I enjoy it with. For less than $23, this wine offers exceptional complexity and value.