My girlfriend and I are having a friend over for dinner Wednesday, and intend to serve a Viña Valoria, Cosecha 1968 Rioja. However, we can't quite agree on what food to pair it with.

Our idea was initially to serve some high quality tenderloin, but we're also thinking about lamb. Our fear is that the texture of the tenderloin could overpower this old, and quite probably frail wine, while the flavour of the lamb could be overpowering. Could anyone help us out here?

(I've posted this same post over at WS as well.)

Markus, might I suggest pairing it with a cheese after dinner? That Rioja is probably very delicate. A mild Spanish like Drunken Goat would be a fine match.

Think braised veal imo.

I think cheese would be great with the wine...Enjoy

Thanks all of you,

we've decide to try it with an aged Manchego cheese but somewhat unorthodoxically before dinner. We'll then have the 1994 Imperial with the tenderloin beef and chorizo/zucchini/potatoe filled portobello mushrooms. I'll let you know how it turned out!

Well, we had the Rioja with a 12 month Manchego (oldest I could find) and that went very well indeed. The cheese actually covered up the only defect in the structural balance of the wine, a teeny bit too burning alcohol. I'll be sure to post a TN soon.

The downside of beginning with cheese is that it tends to settle pretty hard in the belly.

The tenderloin was great with the Cune Imperial although the Portobello mushrooms with chorizo became a tad to spicy for the wine, in my opinion.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Manchego....mmmmmmmmmm

Definitely have something subtle and simple, as opposed to lamb or anything with too much going on in terms of flavors or flavor intestity. I personally would have something along the lines of roasted game bird with wild rice or a souffle. Sounds somewhat boring, but the flavors in this wine could be quite interesting and could easily be overpowered.