Marques De Valido Gran Reserva Rioja

An aged Rioja from The Co-op

Aged wines have a quality unlike any other - for wines, as for people, maturity brings a harmoniousness, quietly self-confident mellowness and a general smoothing-off of youthful earnest vigour.

Like Bryan Ferry or Mick Jagger, all the qualities that made them great in their youth are still there - handsome, mischievous and knowing - but with the self-assurance of a few grey hairs and lines.

Most wine is not made to be aged extensively before drinking and cellaring properly at home is tricky and expensive.So the opportunity to taste a properly mature wine is not one to be missed.

With a minimum of two years in oak and nine years' age in total, this is a mellow and harmonious wine that is ready for drinking now, but in no rush to be opened if you want to hang onto it for longer.

Marques De Valido Gran Reserva Rioja 2009 (£12.99) mellow oaky spice and aged leather with bramble fruits and coconut. Fresh, supple and very harmonious.

Good.

Match with classic roast lamb, or any other roast red meat.