Marqués de Murrieta

Wine and the City tastes two stunning wines at historic bodega Marqués de Murrieta in Rioja – Capellanía Reserva 2006, a complex old vine Viura with immense ageing potential, and Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva 2004, a classic Rioja combining red fruit with cedar aromas.

The Sampler: top 10

It's a grizzly grey Monday night in Islington and I feel like a kid in a candy shop. I'm at The Sampler armed with a loaded card. Admiring the 80 wines on display in the Enomatic machines like paintings in a gallery, I don't know where to begin.

I try to keep on top of wine trends, but am three years late in discovering this North London gem. Walking round the shop is a genuinely exciting experience - it feels Decanter magazine has come to life, and all the top wines have leapt from the pages onto the shelves. All the key world wine regions are represented and at every turn is an A-lister: Salon, Ausone, Richebourg, Aldo Conterno, Castillo Ygay, Caymus...

The bottles stand side by side on the shelves begging to be bought. I have to resist the urge to pick them up and drool over them. As I ponder what wine to try first, I catch sight of a man in his mid 50s in a purple flat cap, outsized glasses and yellow Crocs enjoying a slurp or two whilst listening to his i-pod. He looks French. That's the beauty of The Sampler - everyone is free to enjoy the delights of this wine juke box at their own speed and to their own soundtrack. The shop's soundtrack, a trendy mix of noughties indie – Kasabian, Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys, is seriously cool to sip to.

A selection of the much-hyped Bordeaux 2009s will be available to try from the end of April, but if your budget doesn't stretch that far fear not. I topped up my card with a humble £10 and managed to try 10 impressive wines from a fantastic variety of regions. Where else in London can you do that? I'm a little in love with The Sampler, and plan on making a return visit soon, if only to catch a glimpse of Ivy the dog. Here are my top ten...

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Gravonia, Rioja, 1999 (84p)

Made in Lopez de Heredia's Haro-based winery where architect Zaha Hadid has recently set up shop, the aged white is an attractive amber-gold colour with a wonderfully developed nose of apricot, poached pear and vanilla. Unlike any white Rioja I've ever tasted, its oxidized aromas lends it a Sherry-like quality. Full, rich and weighty on the palate, it tastes of toffee apples with a floral, honeysuckle finish. Lush and alluring, creamy yet fresh, it's a fascinating find. I fear I may have peaked too soon...

Au Bon Climat, Wild Boy Chardonnay, 2007 (74p)

I had to try this wine, if only for the mad label – winemaker Jim Clendenen's head in the middle of a psychedelic triangle looking like a modern day Jim Morrsion. Going on the label, I was expecting a full on cream and oak explosion, so was pleasantly surprised by the restrained and dare I say elegant nose of lemon and green apple. The oak certainly comes through, but in a violin rather than an electric guitar sort of way. It's rich, rounded and creamy on the palate – delicious.

Loimer Steinmassl Riesling, 2006 (£1.54)

From winemaker Freddie Loimer's single vineyard estate, the nose shows wonderful ripe juicy fruit: peaches, pear drops and baked apples. Elegant on the palate, with mouth-puckering citrus fruits, lovely structure, complex minerality and hints of vanilla perfume, it's luscious long length hints at tremendous ageing potential.

Briseu Patapon, 2008 (75p)

If you can get past the scary Jack Nicholson-esque clowns on the label, then this is a really interesting wine. Made from Pineau d'Aunis, a black grape from the Loire, the raspberry coloured wine displays lovely Gamay-style fruit: bright Morello cherries and ripe raspberries. The nose explodes with soft summer fruits, and on the palate are hints of spice, cigar smoke and tar. Grippy and peppered with great structure, it would be amazing served chilled on a summer picnic.

Reichsrat von Buhl, Spätburgunder, 2007 (79p)

I tried my first Spätburgunder last Friday and was seriously impressed by its smokey bacon character - it tasted like liquid Frazzles, so was very excited to see this Pfalz Pinot Noir in the line up. A pale ruby colour, it has a pretty strawberry and cherry blossom nose with an earthy undercurrent. Medium bodied, the slightly perfumed red berry palate mirrors the nose, with bright red fruit mixing into an attractive savoury finish. Quite lovely.

4 Kilos, 12 Volts, 2008 (91p)

Being an unashamed hispanophile, I was keen to try this effort from Mallorca, made from the indigenous Callet-Fogoneu grape, with a little help from Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot. Still very young, the palate shows savoury aromas and dense black fruit: blackberries and juicy blueberries, with hints of coffee and spice from the oak. On the opulent palate the thick bramble fruit continues, with blueberry jam coming to the fore. Suave in the mouth, with lovely vanilla and sweet spice from the oak, it's rich, mouthfilling and seriously quaffable.

Innocent Bystander Shiraz Viognier, 2005 (53p)

Already won over by the enigmatic label, this Yarra Valley gem didn't disappoint. The nose is full of bright, vibrant black cherries, chocolate and nutmeg, and yet it retains a wonderful savoury quality. Rich, full bodied and fruit forward, the palate is lush and velvety, with delicious ripe black fruit mingling with alluring meaty notes and hints of spice. Big and grippy, yet elegant, with a spicy liquorice finish, the savoury notes make it dangerously moreish.

Château Musar, Musar Jeune, 2008 (45p)

Château Musar is high up on my wish list of wines to try, so I saved this until last. Made in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, this young, unoaked upstart is vibrant, fruity and unashamedly exotic. Made from a blend of Cincault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, the nose shows lovely red and black cherries, raspberries and red currants. The palate is rich, smooth and red-fruited with sweet spice, structure and grip. Magnificent.

Paxton AAA Shiraz, 2007 (77p)

They call this AAA for a reason. Made from 70% Shiraz and 30% Grenache at the reputed McLaren Vale biodynamic winery, the wine has a spice-box perfumed nose of kirsch and mulberry. Supple, forward and textured, it's a seriously easy going wine. Pleasantly perfumed, elegant and restrained, it smells of the Old World, the Grenache powering through to give it a cherry and raspberry kick. Velvety and smooth, it has a creamy and meaty core with sweet cinnamon spice on the long, full finish. Quite delicious.

Fontanafredda Barolo, 2004 (£1.19)

And finally... One of only two wines I paid over a pound for, this was worth the extra pennies. The Fontanafredda estate used to be the hunting lodge of the late King Emmanuel II, and was also home to his mistress Bella Rosa Rosin. The blood red wine from this superb vintage has a clear-cut, intense nose of withered roses and underbrush with overtones of vanilla and spice. Dry but soft, the palate is haunting – full bodied, silky and well balanced, it's complex and lengthy with alluring spices, smoke and crushed rose petal aromas. Grippy and spicy on the palate with lingering sour cherries, it could only be Italian – it could only be Barolo.

Wines from Spain Trade Fair

Last week was something of a Spanish affair. After the Caballeros dinner at the Dorchester on Tuesday came the annual Wines from Spain trade fair on Thursday, where I bumped into a number of the Caballeros minus their red robes.

A staggering 1,500 wines were on show. I made it my mission to taste as many of them as humanly possible in two hours. After the tasting I was ushered into a car with blacked out windows and driven to Devonshire Terrace in the über trendy (and canopied) Devonshire Square for the Wines of Navarra press supper.

The restaurant was buzzing with wine hacks from the tasting. We got to enjoy a spread of Navarra wines and delicious tapas including golf ball-sized cod croquettes and juicy pork belly. Here are my top 10 wines of the day...

Bodegas Gerardo Méndez, Albariño do Ferreiro, Rías Baixas, 2008

This 100% Albariño from Galicia's quality DO is painstakingly made from grapes from eight different vineyard sites. All eight are separately vinified and aged on the lees for six months. The wine showed superb purity and elegance, with a stone fruit nose of peach and apricot wrapped around ribbons of honeysuckle. Bone dry with bags of texture, the palate is honeyed, rich and round, with a steely mineral core and persistent notes of lemon, apple and lime. Classy stuff.

Celler Joan Sangenís, Mas d'en Compte Barrel-Fermented Blanco, Priorat, 2007

Made from 60% Garnacha Blanca and barrel-fermented for two weeks on the skins, the nose is an enticing and complex mix of honeyed pear and apple, pineapple, cocoa and apricot. Full and buttery on the palate, with toasty mineral notes, hints of sweet vanilla and a concentrated, rich texture of fleshy peach, it had wonderful balance and lingering length. A fascinating find.

Equipo Navazos, Navazos-Niepoort, Sherry, 2008

Without a doubt the most curious wine of the tasting. It wasn't even in the catalogue – I got a tip off from Peter McCombie to try it. Only 4,500 bottles are being released. Made in collaboration with Dirk Niepoort from 100% Palomino Fino, it is fermented in butt and aged without fortification under a layer of flor for five months. Rediscovering the roots of Jerez with an unfortified white, it had a salty Fino nose that mixed with fresh notes of melon and green apple. The palate was equally fresh with a nutty finish. Sherry, but not as you know it...

Bodegas Naia, Naiades, Rueda, 2007

My wine of the night from the Caballeros dinner, I couldn't resist trying this 100% Verdejo again as it's so sensational. On the nose I got creamy toffee, caramelized white peaches, and poached pears dipped in honey. The rich, creamy palate is as velvety as it gets, with slightly nutty aromas and honeysuckle soaring from the glass. Toasty, full-bodied, and wonderfully rounded, it's utterly delicious, and not dissimilar to some of my favourite white Burgundies.

Bodegas Chivite, Colección 125 Reserva, Navarra, 2005

Being a huge Chardonnay fan, I was excited about trying this. Already won over by the retro font on the label, the wine didn't disappoint. Aged for 10 months in French oak, the nose was rich, creamy and enticing with notes of hazelnut, brioche and freshly baked bread. The palate was voluptuous and decadent, fresh and well structured, with a long, rounded, toasty finish. Divine – I needed intervention.

Cortijo los Aguilares, Pinot Noir, Sierras de Malaga, 2008

Based in the beautiful hilltop town of Ronda, the vineyard shares space on the estate with free roaming Iberian black pigs. Planted in 2000, the vines are still incredibly young, but are showing great potential. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the wine had lovely aromatic, earthy strawberry fruit on the nose and great structure on the palate. Subtle, soft and rounded, it was quite lovely. A Pinot with promise!

Jean León, Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva, Penedes, 2000

A legendary figure in the world of Spanish wine, before tending the vines Jean León opened La Scala restaurant in Hollywood with James Dean. Returning to his native Penedes in 1963, León used cuttings from Lafite to develop his signature Cabs. The 2000 vintage has a dense black fruit nose that mixes with enticing smokey, meaty aromas. Velvety on the palate, with grippy tannins and a robust body, it showed wonderful complexity – sweet herbal aromas danced with the liquorice on the finish. One for laying down.

Torres, Perpetual, Priorat, 2006

A homage to the monks of the courageous Carthusian order who arrived in Priorat in 1095 and began cultivating the vines, the wine is a blend of Garnacha from 50-year-old vines and Cariñena from 80-year-old vines from steeply-sloped licorella soils. So dark it was almost opaque, it had a beautifully dense, complex character of black cherries, sweet plums, liquorice and tar. Grippy, rich and mouthfilling with a chocolatey, spicy edge, it's drinking well now, but will be even better in a few years.

Marqués de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva, Rioja, 1978

Tasting this was a real treat. The wine spent a remarkable 18 years in barrel before bottling, and has retained an attractive brick red colour. It had a delicious savoury nose of game, spice, tea and tobacco, along with the ever-present red fruit and soft leather core. The mature fruit had a slightly wild, savage character. Smooth and elegant on the palate, it showed remarkable vibrancy for its years. Worth the wait!

Bodegas Hidalgo, Palo Cortado Wellington VORS NV, Sherry

I'm a Sherry nut, so it doesn't take much to get me excited, especially if it's a Palo Cortado. This fine example from Javier Hidalgo, who was watching my reaction from the side of the stand, had a lovely rich nose of roasted almonds and caramel. The palate was round and plush, with sweet and savoury notes of toasted nuts and toffee. The tangy, salty thread, gave the wine a zing in its tail. Lively, long, lovely.