Marques de Vargas 2014

The final wine from the Marques de Vargas estates from the vinopremier.com wine tasting. This time a red wine from Rioja.

Made from a blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Garnacha, this wine is matured for 24 months in French, American and Russian barrels, which are regularly replaced to ensure none are over 5 years old.

Russian oak is a first for me. No idea if it differs in effect from the other two.

Very odd that this a reserva

In colour it is a ruby red with less intensity than the last one. It also has a very light scent, both of which surprised me. I expect reserva reds to be heavier and more intense, though I’m learning this is not always the case.

What scent I could distinguish (and it was tough) was red berries, and a hint of toast.

A light red berry fruit taste with a tangy clean finish. A silky feel in the mouth and a touch of balsamic.

To me it tasted like a young with but with less fruit. Having said that it was my favourite of the night.