Baigorri Crianza 2009

Brian Carroll reviewed this wine as follows:

Bodegas Bai Gorri is one of the wineries in the Rioja that is experimenting with methods to bring out more of the flavours of the Tempranillo grape. For instance, their modern winery is built into a hill to take advantage of gravity feed for some of the processing steps.

The result is a refreshing wine with full flavours. It is a very dark purple in the glass. The nose comes across as cherries with some oak and hints of spice and earthiness. On the palate these come through strongly as cherries with oak and hints of lemon, blackberry and tea. The aftertaste is long and lingering. A wine to be appreciated during an unhurried meal.

This Crianza goes well with lamb or veal burgers and a vegetable salad of cauliflower, broccoli, lemon and olives. It refreshes the palate and complements the meal.

Bai Gorri also operates a restaurant in the winery. They like to show off their wines with typical Spanish foods, particular during the important (and long) Spanish lunch. Little surprise then that this is a wine that goes well with food.

The Spanish age their Riojas before sale and release them only when ready to drink. Crianzas are meant to be drunk now or within the year.

We've put 6 bottles in the cellar for the next year. Drinking it reminds us of visiting the winery for a tour and a meal.

NOTE: the LCBO spells the winery online as Baigorri, but the label shows it as Bai Gorri. Don't let the spelling keep you from finding this lovely wine in the Vintages section of one of your local LCBO outlets.

Julia Kelada rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

This is an incredible WOW! For the price.$23.50 and believe me I've tasted some triple this price and not been as good. It is a full bodied wine for sure but packed with personality from the bouquet to the taste buds. If like me you like a wine who can step aside from the crowd, then this one is for you!

A great wine to be decanted for about an hour. Rich, deep red/ purple colour in the glass. Amazing wine for a dish with an earthy spice like a Chorrizo. Could also stand its ground in the desert arena with a decadent chocolate dish.

On the nose there are deep black cherries and casis. leather and chocolate tones are well rounded.
On the palate, rich black cherries, black berries and black currants. Chocolate introduces itself into a full dry mouth and then gives way to leather which wraps up with white pepper spice. Wonderful mature tannins complete this incredible wine!

Bottoms up!

Baigorri Crianza 2009
La Rioja, Spain 14%
UPC 08437005060166
$23.50