£9.99, Waitrose until 20 September (then £13.49); £9.99 for 6 bottles, Majestic; £14, Tesco and Ocado
The winemaker of this multi award-winning Rioja Reserva says that it could be cellared until 2024, but it’s so deliciously drinkable now you would need to be impressively self-disciplined, or buy a lot of it, to keep it that long. That said, the current special offer price of £9.99 in Waitrose (25% off, until 20 September) and Majestic’s six bottle price (also £9.99) does make buying in quantity tempting if you have somewhere cool, dark, vibration-free and preferably with a little humidity to lay it down. For now, it’s a dark, full Rioja in a cashmere-soft wrap of spicy oak with rich blackberry, cherry-pie, vanilla-cream and smoke flavours. It’s especially good with lamb, but you could equally well drink it with other red meats, pork, duck, game birds or a rich vegetable stew or pasta dish. It takes well to herbs, garlic, smoked paprika and a light touch with other spices.
Beronia Rioja Reserva 2011, Rioja, Spain
£9.99 (down from £13.49) until 20 September, Waitrose; £14.99, or £9.99 when you buy six bottles, Majestic £14, Tesco; £14, Ocado.