The title of this wine could be foreign to some people, so let me break it down a little.

Izadi – the brand name of the winery (like Wynns, Taylors etc).  Crianza – the level it fits in the brand’s portfolio (like Penfolds Bin Series above Koonunga Hill).  Rioja – what’s in the bottle (in this case, predominately tempranillo).

This level of Rioja usually spends a year in oak and up to another year in bottle before it’s sold.

In the glass it smelt delicate and pretty. I know that sounds strange but the aromas themselves just seemed so soft I think my olfactory senses were purring.

When the wine hit the palate, that was a totally different story and had to be taken seriously.  Yes, it had the expected tannins of Tempranillo but they were fine and had the fruit to carry them.

If you are familiar with aged Hunter shiraz then you will understand when I say, leather. Not overtly so but a lovely little hint that rides on the (still) primary fruit of spicy cherries and blood plums (a bit reminiscent of a gutsy pinot noir actually).  At seven years of age, this is a good indicator of the cellaring potential of this variety.

As is the case with Tempranillo, this is a very food friendly wine.  Tapas is an obvious choice of food because of the beautiful spices they use when cooking the various dishes.  Why not try it with mexican food and even something as simple as barbequed lamb chops with a spicy tomato relish.

The Spanish have been making world class Rioja for a very long time and this is a great aged example at $35 a bottle.  We thoroughly enjoyed it. Salud!

This wine sample was courtesy of http://www.simplywines.net.au