The 2010 Campeador Reserva had more stuffing than the regular reserva, perhaps the sign of a better vintage. It's a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha presented in a Burgundy bottle with a very classical label and a similarly classical profile. It is juicy and spicy, polished, soft and approachable. Quite tasty, with fine tannins. 8,000 bottles produced.

The 2005 Campeador Reserva is a blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Garnacha, aged for around 26 months in American oak. It offers simple red berry fruit with singed leather and a touch of dried mango and marmalade on the slightly muffled nose. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, supple tannins that lead to an uncomplicated chocolate and mocha-infused finish. Drink now-2014. Straight after my marathon tasting at Finca Allende, I headed towards the much larger winery of Bodegas Martinez Lacuesta just outside Haro. This traditional bodega was founded in 1895 by Felix Martinez Lacuesta and subsequently outgrew its original facilities. In 2009 they completed construction of their own impressive, tailor-made winery that became operative the following year. Tasting through their portfolio, I found the Crianza and Reserva wines a little conservative for my liking: competent and commercially sound, yet needing greater expression of personality and place. But they do come with a wallet-friendly price tag. More interesting are their special releases that are imbued with more elegance and complexity. Importer: various US importers including Serendipity Wines (Texas), www.serendipitywines.com; Dionysis Imports, Lorton, VA; tel. (703) 550-2250; Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 863-1753; and Spain Wine Collection, Congers, NY, www.spainwinecollection.com

Syrupy red fruits, cinnamon, sweet spice. Sweet, ripe, juicy palate. Fresh acid, grainy tannin. Too fruity for real elegance.

Berries, leather and spice on the opening. Oak sits on top of cherry fruit in the mouth, and the finish is all cherries, even though it’s noticeably short. Good but not great Rioja.——W.E.(8/1/2000)—— 84