01438 741177
Hope you get your senses back soon, @Rowley_Birkin_II. It’s pretty miserable not being able to smell or taste properly.
5 Likes
Fantastic. All of their wines are special. I’m obsessed with Tondonia.
For the price there aren’t as many as good readily available in the UK. I think Cubillo is a real bargain.
If you are ok paying more La Rioja Alta’s Ardanza is a standout for me but at £20-25 it’s a big step up. Or Muga reserva at £16 is also excellent
6 Likes
I consumed my last 2012 earlier this year. I came across Il Pogigone a long long time ago (I was still living in NYC) after a walking trip in Tuscany organised by an Oxford travel company.
1 Like
No punt at all. Thelema’s wines are always good, and sometimes excellent. Who has tried “The Mint”, for example?
2 Likes
The only slight caveat I’d add to this is that the majority of old-style producers make wines for ageing - including LdH - but the Cubillo is a bit of an outlier in that it is traditionally styled but intended for near-term drinking. The Ardanza probably needs st least 5 and maybe 10 years in the cellar now to relax a little. There are those who claim it as a 50-year wine 
The bottle closest in style and price I’ve had to this is the 2010 LRA Alberdi (although I’ve not had a bad bottle from anyone from that vintage).
3 Likes
The punt element was that the Rabelais was still £34 (from £55) in the Black Friday sale which can get you a lot elsewhere and I hadn’t tried it before.
However this wine really delivered. My favourite South African red of the year so far
2 Likes
Is £25 a bottle a decent price for the Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia?
2 Likes
The going price is around £29, using Waitrose and Majestic as reference points.
1 Like
Struggling to avoid buying 6 for just under £25 a bottle. 
2 Likes
Yes, that’s cheaper than the 2007 is on Spanish websites at the moment.
1 Like
Very nice
Used to enjoy these on trips to SA…
2 Likes
Easy fireside drinker with snacks last PM…bought to try on Tesco’s last deal…which made it sub £6.00. No complaints , fruity and dark berry light finish. 2018 vintage Made for drinking…
9 Likes
I have a bottle of Tondonia Reserva 2006, given to me as a present, and was wondering whether to open it. Any thoughts welcome!
2 Likes
Any time in the next 20-30 years should do it.
I’ve drunk all my 2006s already, but they’ll definitely go on and on and on.
5 Likes
Wife turned forty yesterday, and with us both working from home, I came up with a menu.
Lunch
Hummus Beiruti
Baba Ghanoush
Tabbouleh
Grilled Halloumi
Pumpkin Kibbeh
Hand-made Pita Bread
Lebanese-style Beef Short Rib
Selection of Baklava
Dinner
Native and Pacific Wild Oysters
Hand-dived South Devon Scallops with butternut squash (recipe from BBC)
Fal Mussels and Chorizo (recipe from wine-pages.com)
Turkish Kunefe
Lunch came from Arabica, although despite hoping for a pre-noon delivery slot it didn’t arrive until 1.30 - we therefore left the main course to have tomorrow. Having said that, it was utterly magnificent, and just opening the box felt like an extra present.
Dinner was slightly more traumatic: I had an email from Simply Oysters at 3pm saying the delivery box was damaged and had to be collected from the APC depot (a 26-mile round-trip away). When I got there, it transpired that two of the six scallops were unusable, and a third of the mussels were broken. Not sure where the fault lies, and will have to follow this up.
Anyway, dinner was (eventually) delicious, and we drank English sparkling:
https://www.dermotsugrue.com/product/sugrue-the-trouble-with-dreams-2014/
This was our second bottle, after drinking the first on VE Day earlier this year. It was just perfect for the oysters, and sat perfectly with the scallops. On reflection, the VE Day bottle was better: this one had a shorter finish and certainly earlier in the evening hadn’t opened enough … although the memory of drinking in May sun instead of December snow may have influenced this! The 2016 new release is currently discounted if anyone is interested (TWS do not stock).
25 Likes
Always a good drop! Especially with Huevos Rotos!
12 Likes
I think £25 is great. Usually I pay that when buying from Spain. This year I bought from the society as I wanted it stored elsewhere
2 Likes
It will be great now and still great in another 10 years. I had the 2002 a couple of weeks ago and it’s still well within its drinking window.
The fact that you got it as a present I’d open it and enjoy it! It warrants a good meal too.
4 Likes
We too find that in Chile SB.
3 Likes
Fizzy Friday meant a glass of what has become a favourite in this house from Majestic (don’t throw me out of the forum).
This is really delicious, full flavoured while also with a citrus and apple freshness. It’s our go-to champagne alternative and we’ve been drinking it all year. It’s currently down at £9.99 a bottle so time to buy another case.
11 Likes