Richard Jennings Some of the characterful and memorable Spanish #wines on the list @Canela_SF, Canela Bistro Bar. San Francisco

Some of the characterful and memorable Spanish#wines on the list @Canela_SF, curated by owner Paco Cifuentes. — con Paco Cifuentes en Canela Bistro Bar.

WineWriting.com by Richard Mark James Spain: Bodegas Larraz, Rioja

Just in case you were wondering (yeah, right), I first tasted one of these Caudum Larraz wines last year, which is featured in a Rioja mini-focus looking at the 2007 and 2009 vintages: Spain: Rioja 2007 and 2009.

The 'Caudum' wines were launched over ten years ago as a limited edition range sourced from a half-hectare vineyard called Finca La Cuesta in the Cenicero area, which is still planted with very old un-grafted vines apparently (they're keeping a bit hush-hush on which varieties though). These reds are aged for at least a year in French and American oak barrels and aren't fined or filtered. Winemaking wise, I'd say they perhaps represent the more "modern" face of Rioja, using more new oak and building a denser, more structured and maybe more export-focused style (only available in Canada as far as I can tell...). There's nothing necessarily wrong with that at all, although I found their 2010 tasting-noted below a little oak heavy when I tried it. However, if the probably finer 2008 is anything to go by, it shows these wines do need a few years before they come together and start to develop. Same goes for their 2009 "Special Selection" red, also reviewed below, which is denser and more concentrated still and has coped with the oak treatment better. I don't know what the prices of these wines are, but I can find out...

More info (although not much in English) @ www.bodegaslarraz.com, or try their Facebook page linked underneath the photo I copied.

2008 Caudum (14% abv) - deep and dense and still pretty purpley black in colour for its age, same goes for the initial oak notes on the nose (purple oak haze man?) - coconut, cedar and vanilla - blended with smoky cassis fruit and liquorice undertones, lightly floral even as well with intricate savoury meaty edges; fairly firm and dry in the mouth with more subtle coconut texture/flavour than on the nose, quite fine tannins though and powerful finish although balanced in the end; tangy vs lush berry fruit with lingering oak too, beginning to develop attractive mature savoury flavours. 2nd day - still quite oaky but has lovely richer sweet berry, cherry and blackcurrant fruit, nice texture with coconut hints and 'chalky' tannins, firm but not over-extracted vs good concentration, powerful finish with sweet vs savoury flavour mix, lightly grainy yet the oak has diminished leading to a fairly fine finish. 4th day open - yes, it did last that long! Still surprisingly alive, more sweet fruit and oak coming through layered with complex 'cheesy' and savoury notes, dark cherry/berry and black olive vs that fair grip, nice dry texture and oomph vs a hint of freshness too. Quite serious wine, was obviously still too young when first opened. Now, that was an essay almost!

2010 Caudum (14% abv) - coconut oak dominates the nose, rich colour and lush fruit vs pretty extracted and solid mouth-feel, oaky finish bolstered by ripe berry fruit. One day open: still showing as rich and extracted, has good substance underneath although the oak hasn't yet blended into the wine... Mind you, I thought that about the 08 which did develop nicely through the oak, so just "let it lie" for the time-being.

2009 Caudum Selección Especial (14% abv) - seems less oaky than the other two (although...), or has absorbed it better probably, with a lush and punchy palate, more blackberry/cherry with liquorice and prune edges even, grippy and extracted layered with lots of fruit vs coconut grain, dry yet fine tannins, powerful and concentrated. Showing some savoury development yet solid and quite closed up, although turned softer and rounder after a while despite its grip, bite and punch. Good stuff, should continue to improve in bottle for a few years. Left open for a couple of days or so: not oxidised, a tad smoother and less oaky yet still has that nice thick texture and concentration.

http://www.winewriting.com/2015/01/spain-bodegas-larraz-rioja.html?spref=fb

https://www.facebook.com/caudum.bodegaslarraz/posts/806223959448858

CAUDUM EN GUÍA PEÑIN 2015 92 PUNTOS Y CUATRO ESTRELLAS

Seguimos entre los vinos excelentes y mejorando puntuaciones, 92 puntos y cuatro estrellas por su relación calidad precio para Caudum Bodegas Larraz 2008 en la recién publicada Guía Peñín de los vinos de España 2015.

Color cereza muy intenso, borde granate, Aroma chocolate, equilibrado, hierbas secas. Boca estructurado, especiado, fruta madura.

Bodegas Larraz está presente en Prowein 2014 en Duseldorf (Alemania)

Prowein, la mayor feria mundial del vino en Duseldorf (Alemania). 
Bodegas Larraz está presente en Prowein 2014 con Caudum Selección Especial 2009 y Caudum 2010 en el stand de la Consejería de Agricultura. Ganadería y Medio Ambiente

Caudum Bodegas Larraz 2010 con 93 puntos elegido por el sumiller Raúl Serrano entre los mejores vinos del año para la Guía Vivir el Vino 2014

Vivir el Vino La Guía 2014 pretende ser una ayuda para el consumidor en la difícil tarea de escoger un vino y, lo más importante, acertar. El sumiller Raúl Serrano ha elegido los 365 Mejores Vinos del Año, mediante una rigurosa cata a ciegas, entre los más de 1.500 vinos aspirantes

Entre los vinos elegidos se encuentra este año Caudum Bodegas Larraz 2010 con una puntuación de 93 puntos

http://www.vivirelvino.com/GUIA-VIVIR-EL-VINO-365-VINOS-AL-ANO-2014.html

TREINTA VINOS DE RIOJA PARA DISFRUTAR ESTA NAVIDAD

Bodegas Larraz Caudum Selección Especial 2009 en la Selección de Juan Cuatrecasas @ElAlmadelVino TREINTA VINOS DE RIOJA PARA DISFRUTAR ESTA NAVIDAD

almavinocuatre.blogspot.com

http://almavinocuatre.blogspot.com.es/2013/12/treinta-vinos-de-rioja-para-disfrutar.html

Caudum Bodegas Larraz 2010 protagonista de la sección "Armonía de Sabores" en el último número de la revista "Vivir el Vino"