Like a top striker who has missed an open goal, the experience was both hard to take and excruciatingly embarrassing. Above all, I felt guilty: not only had I ordered a bad wine, my sole reason for being there had in one sip disappeared. After all, why ask a wine writer to choose the wine when you can do it better yourself?

On reflection, it had to happen sooner or later. It's nigh on impossible for me to go out for dinner and not be the one who is handed a wine list. There was one particularly memorable night in Bermuda, when I was discreetly asked to choose the wine for our party of 20. At the end of the meal, when the bill arrived, there was a stunned silence before someone piped up, "Who ordered the wine?" As I sank into my chair, the whoops of delight began. They couldn't believe a wine that tasted so good could have cost so little.

Oh, for those happy memories last Monday. Richard and I had disagreed over a bottle of rioja. To put it into context, I had already selected a few wines for our lunch party and they had gone down very well. When we came to order again, I pulled rank, ignoring Richard's suggestion of rioja, and opting for a Californian pinot noir on the grounds that it was lighter in style. This proved to be a spectacular gaffe.

Against the French wines we had so far enjoyed, it was too ripe, too fruity and too garish. We'd wanted something that would be a good match for our steaks, not something that would steal the show. Yes, Richard, you were right: we should have gone for the rioja.

Barely 20 years ago, Spain's wines were the laughing stock of Europe: unreliable, oxidised, over-sulphured and often undrinkable. No one went near them. How things change. Spanish wine is now at the forefront of the industry, roaring ahead on a wave of quality and innovation.

Rioja itself, that soft, easy-to-drink, oaky red made from tempranillo grapes, and sometimes with a little garnacha added, has also changed. Traditional rioja is a blend of grapes from three winemaking areas, Alta, Alavesa and Baja, and has a subtle, delicate character. The nose is of mature red fruit and the oak is perhaps a little older and more woody. New riojas are big and blousy, with plenty of fruit and soft, creamy oak. Some are sensational and pose a real threat to similar styles produced in Australia and Chile. Bodegas Eguren, Bodegas Aalto and Marqués de Murrieta are three makers worth seeking out.

Despite this, I hesitated to go for a rioja, as in recent years I have been more impressed by wines from regions such as Ribera del Duero and Navarra as well as Priorat and Toro. So this week I have decided to revisit the region.

But, Richard, be warned that with knowledge comes responsibility – next time, I may hand the list to you.

2004 Carta de Oro Reserva, Bodegas Berberana, Rioja, Spain, 13%, £8.49

Juicy and delicate in the glass, with a light and airy style. The nose is a pungent, powerful blend of stewed red fruit with a mature, 'church hall' character of American oak. Outstanding. Sainsbury's, Threshers

2004 Reserva, Bodegas Lagunilla, Rioja, Spain, 13%, £9.99

An attractive, modern-style rioja. Very forward, with lots of juicy red fruit and a powerful finish. Morrisons

2005 Crianza, Bodegas Campo Viejo, Rioja, Spain, 13.5%, £8.50

Traditional style. Smooth and creamy, with attractive aromas of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves and a moreish finish. Tesco