The Frank Gehry designed Hotel Marques de Riscal
Lopez de Heredia produces an excellent “Vina Tondonia” Reserva Rioja
The wonderful cellar of Bodega La Rioja Alta
An evening of 80's and 70's Rioja
Spain has a long history of producing fine wines, particularly the red wines of Rioja . The epitome of fine red Spanish wine for generations, these wines from the region of La Rioja in Northern Spain can be superb, especially the aged Reservas and Gran Reservas from its top estates.
Located south of the Cantabrian Mountains along the Ebro river, La Rioja benefits from a continental climate. The mountains help to isolate the region which has a moderating effect on the climate. They also protect the vineyards from the fierce winds that are typical of Northern Spain. The region is also home to the Oja river (Rio Oja), believed to have given the region its name. Most of the region is situated on a plateau, a little more than 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level..
Spain has a classification system, with all classified wine regions regulated under the Denominación de Origen (DO) system. In Rioja, red wines are labelled as Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva and are made primarily from the Tempranillo grape, with much smaller proportions of Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano. While the minimum aging requirements for Reservas is three years old (at least one year in cask) and for Gran Reservas five years old (two in cask, three in bottle), it is not uncommon for some traditional bodegas to age their red wines in American oak for 15–20 years or even more before their release. The Gran Reserva is only made in extraordinary vintages and boasts both depth and body and elegance.
In September 2011, a magnificent cellar of rare and old Spanish Rioja was one of the highlights at the Christie’s wine auction. Featuring Rioja from the 1920’s to the 1980s, it featured wines from all the top rioja bodegas like La Rioja Alta, Marques de Murrietta, López de Heredia and Marqués de Riscal. We are fortunate that our member Bernhard Steiner successfully bid and agreed to release some of the wines to the society so that we can have our exclusive taste of Rioja history. These wines are paired with the contemporary cuisine of chef Mark Richards of Keystone Restaurant who so impressed the society at a recent dinner, leading to this encore visit. The society proudly
Presents
| An evening of 80's and 70's Rioja Date: January 14 , 2012 (Saturday) Venue: Keystone Restaurant Address: 11 Stanley Street Time: 7:30 pm (Aperitif Reception), 8:00 pm (Dinner) Price: Member (S$160) Guests (S$190) Dress Code: smart casual Limited to 40 pax Bookings and reservations: Please email: C T Chen at ctchen@acieslaw.com for reservations. PLEASE NOTE: Reservations WILL NOT be considered confirmed unless the Booking Form together with Payment is received by 7th January 2012. Wine Selection: Freixenet Vintage Cava Brut Reserva NV Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva Heredad NV Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Reserva Etiqueta Blanca 1982 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva 1982 Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 1982 Yllera Rioja Reserva1982 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 1985 ( magnum) Bodegas Riojanas Viña Albina Rioja Gran Reserva1970 |
| Menu Selection: Please see attached menu. *For non-meat & vegetarian options, a special menu can be arranged upon request. |
Regards,
Joyce Chang
President, IWFS of Singapore
