Escudero, Serna Imperial Reserva, Rioja, 2010

The Escudero family started making wine in 1852 and, four generations on, it is still very much a family business. They own a total of 150ha of vineyards, of which 120ha are located on the southern slopes of the Monte Yerga mountain range, where the grapes for this wine are produced. The vines are grown at between 450m-800m above sea level and are approximately 40 years old. Predominantly made from Tempranillo blended with Mazuelo and Garnacha, this reserva was aged for 14 months in five-year-old American oak barrels followed by a further 28 months in bottle. Sarah Jane Evans: Supple, juicy, well-balanced, fully rounded. A lovely vintage and a great wine. Simon Field: A broad and generous mouthfeel, the tannic grip still persuasive, but acidity is wrapped around the black fruit core with subtle conviction. Pierre Mansour: Liquorice and dark fruit, compact, quite complex, framed by muscular tannins, underlying depth that unfurls in the glass, and really good length.