WTN: Good Chianti and Rioja and brilliant Bandol

Chianti Classico Fèlsina Beradenga is a very dependable basic Chianti but it sometimes goes into a tight phase in its early life. This 2005 was much more approachable than most vintages when I first tasted it 15 months ago and it remains so now. It is quite full bodied and shows some suppleness and charm retaining enough raciness, tangy acidity and grip to be true to its type; 16/20+.

Rioja Cuvée Especial 2001 – Sierra Cantabria is a complete contrast; it is “modern” in style, being fruity and somewhat up-front in shape, and showed full body, rich sweet aromas and luscious sweet red/dark fruit and a velvety mouth-feel with toffee notes towards the finish which were more than I find ideal but well short of being offensive; good of its kind and probably crowd pleasing but the Fèlsina is closer to my heart; 15.5/20+.

Bandol 1996 – Château Vannières was a beautiful bottle; primary fruit has mostly receded and the aromas were a complex of fine flowers, anis, Mediterranean herbs, tar, old books and leather; the palate was quite full bodied, aromatic, well structured, classically shaped and long with its aromas seeming to complexify further with a gentle diminuendo on the after taste; 17.5/20.

Thanks for the notes. The basic Felsina is my "go to" Chianti year after year.

I have one bottle of the Rioja left, I should revisit. My reaction in late 2006 was pretty similar to yours:
This is one of those wines that are hard to grade even on a nonconsistent nonobjective scale. I know several people who like it a LOT, and I can see why. Lots of rich blackberry and raspberry fruit, toasty vanilla oak, balanced tannins and acidity. The fact it's not fat and low-acid makes it stand out for me above most modern-styled Spanish wines, but the oak really gets to me. If the oak integrates over a few years this might be really tasty (if you're not an idealogue), but at this point it's too much for me. A B+/A- for quality, B- for style, makes this a B for me