Winemaker Notes
Aromatically intense with mysterious, seductive and elegant notes. On the nose it shows hints of blackberry, black liquorice, touches of wild anise and sweet plum puree. Luxurious, mouth-watering and well armed with a touch of acidity which gives it freshness and subtly counters the sweetness of well ripened grapes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows cherries with licorice, a hint of cedar and strawberry conserve. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and a bright finish. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh berries with a zest of orange, cherries and fennel, tobacco and cedar aromas, this Tempranillo delivers both fresh and savory flavors. Tannins melt through the palate and persist into a long finish, keeping the structure poised for further aging while approachable for enjoying now.
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Decanter
Coiled nose, with petrichor and forest floor under prune, blackberry and black olive tapenade. Touches of oregano, thyme and aniseed add depth of field and savoury nuance. Gripping drying tannis drive the long, smoky finish.
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.