Winemaker Notes
Having a beautiful brick red ruby colour half layer which precedes an aromatic explosion with notes of aging (vanilla, roasted coffee, spices ...), ripe fruit (raisins, caramel) and very subtle notes of bottle aging: leather, dry leaves, tobacco, etc. As the wine opens out, the aromas become more intense. In the palate a smooth and silky, perfectly assembled taste is emphasized. It is very prolonged, with a sensation reminiscent of velvet and a pleasing aftertaste.
It’s a great Rioja classic, pairing perfectly with roasts - especially lamb-, chops barbecued on vine shoots, heavy food preparations (game stew, fish in sauce recipes) and of course, smoked or cured cheese. It also presents very attractive pairing with desserts and recipes dominated by chocolate.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of subtle fruit character to this wine from an excellent vintage and now showing age. Medium to full body. Fine tannins and a flavorful finish.
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Tasting Panel
Smooth and mature, with berry notes that present toasty, nicely aged flavors. Rich and balanced, this wine demonstrates how nicely Tempranillo responds to a little aging.
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Wine Enthusiast
Ripe berry, prune and raisin aromas are at the core of a nose that’s also driven by coconut and vanilla accents. A rustic mouthfeel with grippy tannins frames savory, oaky red berry and plum flavors, while tobacco and vanilla notes are corralled by a drying finish. Drink through 2028.
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Wine Spectator
Black cherry and plum flavors are ripe and juicy in this broad red, backed by licorice, espresso and mineral notes. Firm tannins and lively acidity give this a balanced structure. Drink now through 2026.
Hailed as the star red variety in Spain’s most celebrated wine region, Tempranillo from Rioja, or simply labeled, “Rioja,” produces elegant wines with complex notes of red and black fruit, crushed rock, leather, toast and tobacco, whose best examples are fully capable of decades of improvement in the cellar.
Rioja wines are typically a blend of fruit from its three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta and Alavesa, at the highest elevations, are considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier, Rioja Oriental, produce wines with deep color, great body and richness.