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Baron Amarillo Gran Reserva

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I recently came across and purchased a newly listed wine at Aldi, the Baron Amarillo Gran Reserva (2014 vintage), with a brown label and gold mesh. This wine is produced by Pagos del Rey, part of the Felix Solís group, one of the largest family-owned wineries globally. It different to the Criadores de Rioja produced Gran Reserva (black on white label) also under the Baron Amarillo name.

The wine has the classic cherry aroma typical of a Rioja but carries hints of leather and caramel. Taste wise, it is soft, yet the finish is unexpectedly dry, with notes of dark chocolate lingering. Allowing the wine to breathe greatly enhances the experience. The aroma intensifies, the tannins soften and the finish becomes less dry, making it a more well-rounded and enjoyable Rioja. Interestingly, it seemed to carry more strength than its listed 13.5% ABV suggests.

I suspect it may be the same or a close counterpart to the Pagos del Rey Arnegui Gran Reserva, which retails at significantly higher prices, two to three times as much, in Europe. For £6.99, it offers great quality, comparable to the Criadores de Rioja (black on white label) Gran Reserva that was available over the holiday season, for £9.99.

Given its quality and affordability, I plan to stock up on a few more bottles of the brown-label Baron Amarillo Gran Reserva while it remains available.

Post note: Although I said to let it breathe, don’t leave it of the order of a day (or more), as the aroma and taste strangely shift to a full-on caramel flavour.