La Rioja Alta, Gran Reserva 904, 2015

You've probably noticed, but wines from Rioja are Katie's favorite. They're medium-bodied red wines made from the Tempranillo grape in northern Spain. This particular Rioja is Katie's favorite that she's tasted (so far). Right from the start, you'll notice that this wine, like many Riojas, smells a little funky. Personally, we LOVE it. Katie thinks it smells like fresh, damp mulch, or a damp forest floor, or riding on a horse through a forest (for some reason it always makes her think of riding with Bilbo and the dwarves in The Hobbit, one of her favorite books). Bart thinks it smells like well-used leather, or dill/the alfalfa bales he used to throw as a kid. You'll notice that good wines tend to be nostalgic and remind you of good memories and favorite things. Though it may smell a little funky, if you're not used to that, don't let it put you off from this wine! The wine itself tastes like dried red fruits and deliciousness. This wine is a little pricey, but it's Katie's splurge wine that we drank on her birthday, and the one she drinks with one of her best friends when he returns from his 6-12 month long excursions to the ends of the Earth (quite literally). If you want to try a Rioja for a much more reasonable price, La Rioja Alta also makes a Reserva called Vina Alberdi that sells for $25 and tends to be Katie's fall back for more typical occasions.

Food pairing idea: filet mignon

In a nutshell,

The wine: A+

The price: $95 at Jacob Liquor

Would we buy it again? yes, we regularly do (for special occasions)