Featured Wines - March 1999

From its tall, slender, one-of-a-kind bottle, with an eye-catching label, to the last drop of this elegant Rioja, the 1995 Viña Ijalba Murice Crianza is pure joy in a glass. Soft scents of fruit with hints of chestnut and vanilla pour from the glass, followed by the warm, fruity, exotic taste of fine Rioja on the palate. True to noble Riojan form, the Viña Ijalba finishes perfectly dry, its aftertaste lingering for nearly thirty seconds before wa...

Made in the same painstaking way as French Champagne, the Aviny Brut is a classic cava. A lovely pearl of a bubble beads to the top of the glass: soft scents of fruit, fresh bread and Chardonnay-like fruit delight the nose: apple, pear and the faintest hint of cinnamon caress the palate. Fun, flavorful, and easy to drink, the Avinyó Brut is one of the most enjoyable sparkling wines we've tasted in a long time. Kudos to the Esteve Nadal family for...