Roda Cirsion vertical

Sometimes it seems as though there is no end to luxuriously priced trophy wines, but of course there is no reason why France has the monopoly on them. Agustín Santolaya (right), winemaker at Roda based in classical Rioja Alta’s heartland in Haro, one of the most admired modern bodegas, came over to London last month to show off six favourite vintages of his top-of-the-range bottling Cirsion. 

Regular Roda rioja, which used to be called Roda II, retails in the UK at around £20 a...