Especial 1 Rioja 2020 (Dominio de Anza)

Cellar for 30 years or more. Decant for 2 hours before serving. This is a bold red wine, sourced from estate-owned vineyards in Rioja Alavesa. It starts off with a bouquet of ripe plum, cherry, ginger, dried herbs and leather, before expanding into an intense palate. It’s a majority Tempranillo blend, filled out with portions of Graciano and Garnacha. Dominio de Anza’s founder, Diego Magana, is a young wine-maker from Navarre with a passion for the Tempranillo and Mencia grapes. The winery itself is located in the scenic region of Bierzo in Northern Spain, but in 2016, Diego also acquired some tiny plots on the slopes of Rioja. He uses only organic methods, farming his collected plots without herbicides or pesticides. This prime example of red Rioja wine is bursting with flavours of raspberry jam, sour cherry and plum. It is loaded with lively acidity and the tannins are finely grained and velvety in the mouth. A slight wood influence shows itself, from the 14 months in oak barrels, but the palate is dominated aby pure, intense red fruits. It has incredible ageing potential and a lengthy finish. Consider pairing this wine with chorizo, bean stew, or a hearty cut of lamb.