El Coto Crianza Rioja 2003

Much, much better than the last Rioja I tasted.

Beautiful, light red color with cherries and spices on the nose. The spices continued on the palate with a nice touch of acidity suggesting this wine would be a great companion to a meal. Two and a half stars out of five, and a great value at $14 a bottle.

Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva 2001

Awful. The nose smells, at best, of mushrooms. There is no texture to the wine -- it tastes flat, with no fruit or any other positive flavors. I suspect it's tainted. Drink only to get drunk. One star out of five. No regrets over opening this bottle, as it clears out my space for other selections.