Cepa Lebrel Rioja Reserva, 2015 - Lidl

A mature Rioja from Lidl

Age does something to a wine that nothing else achieves; a wine is not really considered "mature", let alone aged, until it is at least five years old. And not all wines are designed to last even that long.

Rioja is, like Bordeaux, Burgundy and vintage Champagne, a classic ageworthy wine; good examples have a lifespan measured in decades. As a rule of thumb, it costs about £1 per year, per bottle to store wine professionally. On that basis, this wine basically costs nothing and so is incredibly good value.

Cepa Lebrel Rioja Reserva, 2015 (£5.49, Lidl) evolved aromas of old leather, pencil shavings and gamey, mushroomy woodsiness, bramble and damson fruit, sweet vanilla spice and porty eucalyptus with a warming finish; fresh with harmonious, fine and well-integrated tannins.

Improves with aeration and drinking nicely now, but could be aged further.

Thoroughly enjoyable and Good Value.

Serve with herby beef stew, roast lamb with rosemary or rare venison steaks.

87 Bampfield points.

Also recommended by Wilson On Wine, Peter Ranscombe.and Brian Elliott