Tapas Fantasticas 2009 London. Rioja

Rioja is one of the most famous and recognised wine names in the world, producing exceptional red, white and rosé wines in both modern easy-drinking and traditional food-friendly styles. Combining the best of old world expertise with a contemporary, forward thinking approach, Rioja has a wine for everyone.

This year, 24 Rioja wineries from Spain will be exhibiting at Tapas Fantasticas, London, providing you with the opportunity to sample and purchase a wide range of Rioja wines.

The following wineries from Rioja will be exhibiting over the weekend:

Baron de Ley www.barondeley.com	Barón de Ley is a bodega created by a small group of Rioja wine experts. The wine it produces reflects the unique characteristics and personality of the terroir.
Bodegas Altanza www.bodegasaltanza.com	Classic and new age Riojas can be found under the brand Lealtanza, all recognisable by a consistency both in image and in the balance and elegance of the wine.
Gran Familia	Gran Familia, located near Logroño at the heart of Rioja Alta, uses knowledge and skills passed down through generations together with modern winemaking techniques to make excellent wines widely acclaimed by press and the public alike.
Bodegas Corral
Bodegas Darien www.darien.es	Darien blends the traditional essence of Rioja wine with an ultra-modern vision of winemaking both in the bodega and in the wines themselves.
Bodegas Navajas www.bodegasnavajas.com	Navajas makes a very consistent style of wine somewhere between traditional and modern, but sharing trademark ultra-fresh, lively, red berry fruit.
Bodegas Ontañón www.ontanon.es	Bodegas Ontañón is an artisan winery which represents, through the expression of the artist Miguel Angel Sainz, the mythology and the culture of wine.
Bodegas Paternina www.paternina.com	Paternina’s objective is to reach the highest quality of wine without forgetting the traditional rigour of good winemaking.
Bodegas Valdemar www.valdemar.es	Valdemar is one of the few producers that owns its own vineyards ensuring that only the highest quality fruit is used in its wines.
Bodegas Vallemayor www.vallemayor.com	Vallemayor, based at Fuenmayor in the Rioja Alta, is a small bodega producing an impressive range dedicated to quality and value. The 35ha estate, predominantly Tempranillo, is owned by the Perez Foncea family.
Eridano	Eridano is a small, family run bodega with generations of experience and a reputation for quality young red joven and oaked wines.
Campo Viejo www.campoviejowines.co.uk	The No.1 Rioja brand in the UK uses a gentle winemaking approach where grapes are moved by gravity to ensure smooth, harmonious wines.
Criadores de Rioja www.criadoresderioja.com	Criadores de Rioja is a thoroughly modern winery, opened in 2000, dedicated to bringing all the great traditions of Rioja winemaking to wine lovers around the world with affordable, high quality wines.
Cvne www.cvne.com	Founded in 1879, the CVNE winery is one of the oldest in Spain and is still controlled by direct descendents of the founding family.
El Coto de Rioja www.elcoto.com	El Coto de Rioja started in 1970 as a group of Rioja wine lover´s personal project to create a style of wine which enhance the virtues of the land, the grape variety and the ageing of Rioja wine.
Faustino www.grupofaustino.es	Grupo Faustino has achieved the most outstanding list of prizes in international wine tastings. With 758 hectares of its own vineyards, it is virtually self-sufficient in producing all its Gran Reserva and Reserva wines.
Bodegas Bilbaínas www.bodegasbilbainas.com	Bodegas Bilbaínas is one of the oldest estates in Rioja and is the largest vineyard holding in the top quality district of Rioja Alta.
Marqués de Cáceres www.marquesdecaceres.com	Marqués de Cáceres offers customers excellent wines which develop gradually at their own pace so as to reach optimum finesse and elegance.
Marqués de Murrieta www.marquesdemurrieta.com	Marqués de Murrieta is one of the oldest and most respected names in the region making 'classic' Rioja style wines with long aging in barrel to give concentration and longevity.
Pagos de Rey www.pagosdelrey.com	Since 2002 Pagos del Rey has been an ongoing project and an example of the achievements of an entire family. Three generations of the Solis family have devoted themselves to this cause, and they have overcome great obstacles to continue their family’s way of life through their love of wine.
Berberana www.berberana.com	Berberana is not only one of the oldest wineries in La Rioja but also Spain’s best-selling brand worldwide.
Santiago Ijalba www.santiagoijalba.com	Roberto Ijalba Pérez is the latest generation running the family bodega. His passion for oenological innovation and cutting-edge trends are beginning to make their mark on the bodega’s wines.
Finca Valdeguinea www.fincavaldeguinea.km6.net	Finca Valdeguinea wines are the culmination of the efforts and hopes of the Saenz Comunion family. After several generations devoted to their ancient vines located in magical spots, Luis Juan, the youngest son, has taken a leading role in the project and has launched the first two wines which showcase the quality of their vineyard plots. The family is also reinstating the ancient vineyard grafting system, a traditional winegrowing technique almost forgotten in Rioja.

	There will be four Rioja wine tasting seminars on each day of Tapas Fantasticas hosted by wine experts Olly Smith and Susy Atkins. They will take you on a thirty minute journey through the senses with lively and fun tips to help you discover what tickles your own taste buds and dispel any fears around what to look for when tasting wine. Learn which white, red and rosé Rioja wines you enjoy most and what will complement your choice of food.


	Ex comedian and actor, Olly brings a lively and humorous but highly educated approach to wine tasting. He is drinks columnist for Sainsbury’s Magazine and Men’s Health magazines and writes his own monthly email bulletin Hot Bottle as well as writing for the online publication www.thewinegang.com. He has graced our screens on numerous occasions on shows such as Richard & Judy (Channel 4), Great Food Live (UKTV), Taste (Sky) and Saturday Kitchen (BBC). Catch him while you can! Times: 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm, 4.30pm

	Susy’s fun and relaxed approach together with incredible expertise immediately demystifies the art of wine tasting. She writes a regular weekly column for the Sunday Telegraph’s Stella magazine and is also wine editor of delicious magazine. Susy is familiar to many wine and food lovers as a regular wine expert and presenter on Saturday Kitchen (BBC1), as well as being the author of ten modern, down-to-earth books about drinks; including the best-selling, fun pocket-book Girls’ Guide to Wine. Don’t pass up this chance of a lesson from such a lively expert! Times: 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm, 4.30pm

	All free places for the London wine seminars are now FULLY BOOKED. Spaces will be available on the day so please do drop by early for your chance to get a place.

	Tapas Fantasticas London is in association with Time Out. If you do NOT want to hear from Time Out, please specify in your email.