Bodeguero Rioja Blanco

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1 February 2026

This wine from producer Ciadores de Rioja comes from a family-run bodega located just six kilometres from Logroño, right in the heart of the Rioja appellation. It’s estate bottled, not bulk bottled as many wines at this level tend to be, a requirement for all wines from Rioja at present. Made from Viura grapes, the 2024 vintage sits at 12% ABV.

It opens with a lovely aroma of melon and apple, while the taste brings a refreshing mix of citrus and apple with a clean, fresh acidity. It pairs effortlessly with food, roast chicken worked brilliantly in my case. While not particularly complex, it reminded us of a straightforward French table wine, and given the price, it more than delivered.

One small thing to be aware of, it needs a lot of time to breathe. Straight from the fridge it doesn’t give much, but leave it for forty minutes or so and it becomes far more rounded and expressive. Unlike most inexpensive white wines, the flavour doesn’t fall apart as it warms, staying balanced and enjoyable.

Once again, this shows that inexpensive wine can still offer value. It has provenance and isn’t a mass-market blend. In this case, the reason is that it’s a genuine giveaway to get people through the door. I picked it up for just £3.99 at Aldi as their ‘offer of the week’, reduced from £5.99.

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