Wine with Leslie: Rioja is a familiar favourite, here are three standouts

Rioja was the first decent wine I ever tasted, Wine was only for Christmas and Easter in those days!

A white Rioja won best white wine at the National Off Licence Association’s wine show

Sometimes we need a bit of familiarity, the cup of Barry’s Tea, the Tayto sandwich, the catch-up with an old friend, and so it goes with Rioja. Rioja was the first decent wine I ever tasted, Faustino of course, the Spanish wine brand most likely to be found on an Irish Christmas dinner table back in the 1970s and ’80s. Wine was only for Christmas and Easter in those days.

My parents mostly drank Liebfraumilch but the odd bottle of red Rioja would also make an appearance if cousins were visiting and I remember being allowed a sip. Rioja is by far Spain’s most famous wine and the Irish have always loved it. We did in the 1970s and we still do, I believe Ireland is ranked around 11th in Rioja sales (by volume), no mean feat given how many other wines vie for our attention.