Rioja Warmth for Rainy Narrowboat Nights 🍷🌧️
Sip of the Week | Vineyards and Villages
Introduction – Rioja Comfort on a Rain-Soaked English Spring 🌦️🚤🍷
Late Spring in England, they said. Blossoms, sunshine, canal-side picnics and cheerful afternoons on the towpath, they said.
Instead, the heavens have opened over Britain with such determination that Noah is probably checking Rightmove for moorings in Staffordshire.
Aboard Spirit of Sproglet, our trusty narrowboat, the little woodburning stove is still glowing away like it’s mid-February rather than May. Outside, the canal is grey and moody. Rain taps steadily on the roof. Somewhere in the distance, a disgruntled duck sounds personally offended by the weather forecast.
And honestly? It is absolutely perfect red wine weather.
This week’s Sip of the Week comes courtesy of a bargain hunt through the wine aisle at Sainsbury’s, where I stumbled upon a bottle of FAUSTINO VII Tempranillo 2023 from the famous Rioja region of Spain for the princely sum of £7.75.
Now, any wine lover knows there are two types of bargain wines:
- The “astonishing value” kind.
- The “best used for removing old paint” kind.
Thankfully, this little Rioja falls very firmly into the first category.
And perhaps — just perhaps — my curiosity was helped along slightly by seeing the word Tempranillo on the label. Not entirely because of the price, naturally. Purely academic interest, you understand.
After all, Tempranillo has already impressed me greatly when I was introduced to this cultivar through the magnificent Nastergal blend from Thistle and Weed in South Africa — a richly praised red blend using Tempranillo and Alicante Bouschet that has received admiration from celebrated wine critic Tim Atkin and many other wine fundis.
So naturally, this affordable Spanish cousin found its way onto Spirit of Sproglet.
And I’m very glad it did.
The Story Behind FAUSTINO 🍇🇪🇸
The FAUSTINO name is legendary in Spanish wine circles, and the winery behind this bottle is Bodegas Faustino S.L., situated in the village of Oyón-Oion in the heart of Rioja wine country.
The winery forms part of the respected Familia Martínez Zabala, a multi-generational wine family with deep roots in Spanish winemaking. Their history stretches back to the 19th century, and over the decades they’ve become one of the most recognisable Rioja producers in the world.
The family has long embraced the philosophy that wine should not merely be reserved for special occasions or intimidating Michelin-starred restaurants where someone explains “mouthfeel” while charging £19 for olives.
No — wine should also be joyful, approachable and shared around tables, campervans, canal boats and village terraces.
That spirit shines through beautifully in FAUSTINO VII.
Rioja itself remains one of the world’s great wine travel destinations. Rolling vineyards ripple across the hills beneath distant mountains, ancient villages sit lazily in the sunshine, and every second building appears to contain either wine, tapas or both. Frankly, it’s the sort of place where sensible travel plans go to die gloriously.
For lovers of vineyard travel and village travel, Rioja belongs firmly on the bucket list.
Tempranillo – Spain’s Great Red Grape 🍷🍒
Tempranillo is often called the noble grape of Spain, and for good reason.
The variety is the backbone of Rioja and many of Spain’s greatest red wines. Its name comes from the Spanish word temprano, meaning “early,” because the grape ripens earlier than many other red varieties.
Today, Tempranillo is grown widely across:
- Spain 🇪🇸
- Portugal 🇵🇹
- South Africa 🇿🇦
- Argentina 🇦🇷
- Australia 🇦🇺
- The United States 🇺🇸
In Portugal, Tempranillo is primarily known as Tinta Roriz or Aragonez and contributes significantly to Port wines.
What makes Tempranillo special is its versatility. Depending on climate, altitude and ageing, it can produce wines ranging from light and juicy everyday reds to complex, age-worthy masterpieces.
Typically, Tempranillo offers flavours of:
- Cherry 🍒
- Plum
- Strawberry
- Vanilla
- Tobacco
- Leather
- Spice
Younger expressions — like this FAUSTINO VII 2023 — tend to focus on the fresher, fruitier side of the grape. They are uncomplicated in the best possible way: cheerful, approachable and very easy to drink.
And sometimes that is exactly what you want.
Not every evening calls for a wine that requires a philosophy degree and three hours of decanting.
Sometimes you simply want to pour a generous glass while rain lashes the towpath and your socks dry beside the stove.
Tasting the FAUSTINO VII Tempranillo 2023 🍷🔥
The screwtop cracked open with a deeply satisfying little snap — music to the ears of boaters and campervanners everywhere.
No frantic rummaging through drawers looking for a corkscrew. No balancing acts worthy of Olympic gymnastics while trying to uncork a bottle in a rocking narrowboat galley.
Just twist and pour.
Already, this wine understands the travelling lifestyle.
In the glass — or in my case, my beloved thick taverna-style tumbler — the wine showed a bright ruby-red colour with youthful energy and clarity.
Now, before the wine purists faint dramatically into their decanters, let me explain the tumbler situation.
Life aboard a narrowboat requires sacrifices.
Space is tighter than a budget airline seat designed by medieval torturers. Christine and I allow ourselves one mug and one glass each. That same heroic glass must serve faithfully as:
- Wine glass 🍷
- Beer glass 🍺
- Cider glass
- Brandy snifter
- Gin and tonic vessel 🍸
- Emergency water tumbler
- Occasional olive holder if circumstances become desperate
And somehow, the FAUSTINO tasted all the better for it.
On the nose, the wine bursts with juicy red berries, cherries and a touch of soft spice. There’s a freshness here that immediately invites another sip.
On the palate, it is smooth, fruity and lively without becoming jammy or overly sweet. You get ripe cherry and plum flavours with gentle tannins and enough acidity to keep everything bright and balanced.
Importantly, it avoids that harsh, aggressive bite that cheaper reds sometimes develop after the second glass.
This wine knows exactly what it is:
- Affordable
- Honest
- Relaxed
- Hugely drinkable
And there is something rather admirable about that.
At £7.75, this is astonishingly good value.
Perfect Food Pairings for This Rioja 🍽️🧀
This style of Tempranillo positively begs for relaxed comfort food.
Aboard Spirit of Sproglet, it paired beautifully with:
- Chorizo sausage
- Mature cheddar
- Crusty bread
- Olives
- Rustic tomato pasta
It would also work wonderfully with:
- Tapas 🫒
- Roast chicken
- Burgers
- Lamb kebabs
- Pizza
- Chargrilled vegetables
- Manchego cheese
- Beef stew on a cold evening
Because the wine is fresh and fruit-forward rather than heavy and oaky, it remains incredibly versatile.
This is not a “special occasion only” wine.
This is a:
“Pull up a chair, light the stove and open another packet of crisps” wine.
Wine, Travel and the Joy of Simplicity 🚐🚤🌍
One of the great pleasures of wine travel is discovering that memorable wines do not always need eye-watering prices.
Sometimes the most enjoyable bottles are the ones opened:
- beside canals
- inside campervans
- overlooking vineyards
- beside village squares
- under awnings during unexpected rainstorms
The FAUSTINO VII captures that wonderfully.
It is easy-going and unpretentious — the sort of wine that suits life on the move. The screwtop alone deserves applause from the boating and campervan community.
There is no ceremony required here.
Just good company, a warm stove, rain outside and enough wine left in the bottle for another generous pour.
And perhaps that is exactly why I enjoyed this bottle so much.
Not because it tried to impress me.
But because it simply delivered pleasure without fuss.
Final Verdict 🍷⭐
FAUSTINO VII Tempranillo 2023 is proof that excellent everyday wine does not need to cost a fortune.
For under eight pounds, you get:
- Authentic Rioja character
- Fresh red fruit flavours
- Smooth drinkability
- Food-friendly versatility
- Boater and campervan-friendly practicality
This is a wine made for real life.
For rainy British evenings.
Narrowboat adventures.
For campervan suppers.
Village wandering and vineyard dreaming.
And most importantly — for opening without overthinking.
Would I buy it again?
Absolutely.
In fact, if the British weather continues like this, I may need another bottle before the weekend.
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