It can be a daunting and difficult task to decide on what wine to buy. The sheer choice of wine available is incredible (and exciting to adventurous drinkers) but can also be intimidating and leave us unable to pick up a bottle of something decent that does cost a small fortune. Turning to wine critics can help, but so many of the reviews are written in wooly language that requires a dictionary to understand many of the terms. I hope to post a simple review of one bottle of wine a week with a truthful and critical palate. I will use technical phrases sparingly and only where it benefits the description. The key is to understand what to expect when you pour yourself a glass, how good it is, and is it worth it!

So let’s kick things off with the 2001 Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial Rioja. It’s produced by La Rioja Alta winery and is a blend of Tempranillo (80%) and Garnacha (20%) grapes. The Reserva Especial is released only in the very best years (1964, 1973 and 2001 to date) when the weather and harvest conditions help to produce the best quality grapes.

The wine smells of sweet spices such as cinnamon and vanilla, leather and blackberries, giving it a warming sense to the nose. There are a lot of different flavours in this wine, strong yet in good balance with one another, and they linger in the mouth indicating a wine of quality that would still be good in a few years time. As a compliment to food, I would drink the Vina Ardanza with a lamb stew or roasted duck.

Total score: **** Bang on for a Rioja around the £20 mark.