Viña Bujanda Reserva (Magnum) 2017

What a treat to discover a small parcel of 7-year-old Rioja Reserva bottled in magnum, from a top estate. Well, we have been friends with the family since they completed their state-of-the-art winery in 1984 and were the first to export their wines to the UK. Four decades on, the cellar remains one of the finest in Europe and has collected a huge number of awards. This dark, smoky Reserva is from their Finca Valpiedra estate, where the impressive Lauren Rosillo is winemaker. All estate-grown Tempranillo, aged in barrel in their cellars for 24 months before spending years patiently resting in bottle, it's elegant with complex notes of tobacco, blackberry, plum and cedar. A joy with lamb or a rich, smoked-paprika-laced casserole.