Rioja Wine

Our Professional Review 

Oscar Garcia Lead Wine Sommelier 67Wine.com  | One of Rioja's benchmark Crianzas. A well-rounded red that delivers a solid drinking experience. Late spring of 2017 I had the pleasure to be in Rioja and although a late frost damaged some of the buds, the quality in what survived is fairly consistent. 

Aromas of plum compote, cassis and notes of cinnamon and cloves. Medium-bodied with polished and pleasant tannins. Consistent and satisfying finish. Pair with beef-stews or any rice dishes such as Shrimp-fried rice.

Winemaker Description 

Our Professional Review 

One of the most classic and historic producers in all of Rioja. Medium-bodied with chew tannins with ripe red fruit flavors. Beautiful finish with a lively acidity.
- Oscar Garcia, Wine Buyer, 67wine

Winemaker Description - Vintage 2020

Characterized by a long growing cycle and perfect phenolic ripening. It produced wines with great aromatic intensity and fruit concentration, well-balanced between alcohol and acidity, and highly suitable for long aging.
grapes

100% Tempranillo from our own vineyards in Rodezno and Labastoda, with an average vine age of 40 years.

Manual harvesting in boxes, with cluster selection in the vineyards. The grapes are transported refrigerated to the winery to maintain their integrity. After rigorous quality control on optical sorting tables, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation occur naturally. Two years of aging in our own American oak barrels (new the first year and four-year-old barrels the second). We perform four traditional rackings by candlelight, from barrel to barrel. Bottled in June 2023.

Intense and brilliant garnet color with a vivid ruby rim. On the nose, it stands out for its high intensity, with notes of red fruits—raspberries, wild strawberries, and redcurrants— wrapped in a marked balsamic aroma of caramel, vanilla, toffee, and roasted coffee. On the palate, it is long, balanced, and fresh, with fine and silky tannins. A long finish, where the initial balsamic and fresh red fruit aromas characteristic of Viña Alberdi reappear.

Viña Alberdi is characterised by a notable food-pairing versatility. It is an ideal companion to appetisers, snacks and barbecues, perfect with rice, pastas and stews, and great with lightly-grilled meat and fish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The younger wine here is the 2020 Viña Alberdi, a versatile version of the Haro reds. It was produced with Tempranillo fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for two years (it's sold as Reserva in international markets and Crianza in Spain). It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.6 and five grams of acidity. It has a classical nose of ripe fruit, American oak and spices, the subtle notes of forest floor, still young. The palate is velvety and very balanced with polished tannins. Approachable but should also age.  Drinking 2024 to 2029.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92

Zekun Shuai writes:  A classical, typical Rioja Alta red with elegant notes of vanilla, coconut, smoked spices and strawberries. Refined and suave, with fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Juicy and elegant. Really approachable now, but give it two more years to get more mushroom complexity.  - James Suckling 93

Our Professional Review 

A text-book Crianza from Bodegas CVNE.  Aromas of red fruits and dried herbs. Medium-bodied with well integrated tannins and just enough grip to make a good impression. One of my personal go-to crianzas for every day enjoyment. 
Oscar Garcia, Wine Buyer, 67wine

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

James Suckling 91 Points | Spicy rendition of Cune crianza, but as always this is fruity, with lots of cherries, plums and a touch of white pepper. Juicy and bright, with some restrained fruit sweetness. Very fine-grained, juicy and consistent.

Expert Review

100% Tempranillo. Red berries, plums and vanilla. Medium-bodied with good consistency on the palate. Very pleasant finish. 

- Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67 Wine Buyer

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia of 67Wine.com writes | Every release from Vina Ardanza La Rioja Alta is simply beautifully crafted to almost perfection. Reservas at the winery are aged up to maximum craftsmanship and release to the market until the wine team feels its aged consistently.<

Intense cherry red color, marking the garnet on the edge of the glass. Of great aromatic power, first of fruity character (cherry, currant, red plum) giving way then to balsamic and spicy notes (pepper, licorice, clove, vanilla, toasted caramel and nutmeg). Fresh and balanced in the mouth, with fine and silky tannins. Ample aftertaste that combines red fruits and spices with a fresh and long character.

Pair with roast lamb, red meats, barbecues, large game, spicy fish casseroles, smoked and aged cheeses.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | The 2019 Vina Ardanza is a highly impressive, full-bodied blend of 80% older-vine Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from two different parts of Rioja grown at the same altitude. The producer’s own American oak was used to age the Tempranillo 36 months and the Garnacha 30 months, 20% new. The fruity nose of black cherry and plum complements beautifully against Garnacha’s seductively spicy texture and mouthfeel. It’s lively, complex, and lengthy, with melty tannins.

The Wine Advocate 94 Points | No 2018 was produced, so after the 2017 I tasted last year, we jumped to the 2019 Viña Ardanza Reserva, produced with a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. It fermented destemmed in stainless steel and aged in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months for Garnacha, and was blended before bottling. 2019 is a very good year for them, a small crop of powerful and concentrated wines when they produced all their brands, an exception. This is spicy, structured, balanced and powerful in this warm year, reaching the customary 14.5% alcohol and keeping a pH of 3.54 and 5.5 grams of acidity. It's still very young and undeveloped, with the classical profile, generous in American oak aromas and flavors that should slowly integrate in the wine with years in bottle. For them, 2019 means a change in Ardanza, less spicy (but still quite spicy, with clove, vanilla and tobacco leaves) and with more fresh fruit from the Garnacha. But the year is a modern version of 2015.

Decanter 94 Points | A super-classic and great interpretation of Rioja reserva, this offers all the appealing sweet red berry fruit and American oak with serious struture and balance. Soft and inviting, this is surely a reference for reserva wines in the region. A blend of 80%Tempranillo – from two vineyards in Fuenmayor and Cenicero, northern Rioja Alta – and 20% Garnacha from Tudelilla in Rioja Oriental, a 17-day fermentation was followed by ageing in American oak barrels from the producer's own cooperage: 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months (in 20% new) for the Garnacha. 

Our Professional Review

Our Professional Review - Oscar Garcia Moncada 

In September 2022, I had the pleasure of traveling to Rioja, Spain, to visit one of my favorite producers: Bodegas Perica. Located in the picturesque village of San Asensio in La Rioja Alta, Bodegas Perica has been a bastion of winemaking tradition for three generations. The winery was in the midst of harvest, and I was fortunate enough to participate—gaining firsthand insight into the rigorous grape selection process that defines Bodegas Perica’s approach.

Anyone who has experienced a wine harvest understands the backbreaking labor involved in hand-harvesting: long hours, quick reflexes, and relentless speed. Yet despite the physical demands, the reward is undeniable—gathering at the end of the day to share a hearty meal and plenty of wine with a community united by purpose and passion.

David García Ábalos, the current owner of Bodegas Perica, and Zigor Cornago García, Director of Commerce, graciously gave me a personal tour of the winery, cellar, and production facilities. Perica stands out for using only estate-grown grapes from its own vineyards—a true commitment to quality and terroir. The winery also ages its Crianzas in 225-liter French oak barrels, and notably, many of its wines undergo extended aging beyond the minimum requirements set by the Rioja DOCa.

Founded in 1912 by Don Juan García, Bodegas Perica now cultivates over 150 hectares of vineyards in the prestigious Rioja Alta subregion, known for producing some of the finest expressions of Tempranillo.

This visit was especially meaningful to me, as it culminated in a tasting straight from the barrel to select the next wine for a private label project with 67Wine. After exploring a range of vintages and barrels, I ultimately chose the 2020 vintage. For me, it hit all the right notes—vibrant fruit, layered aromas, balanced structure, integrated tannins, and just the right touch of acidity. This wine is layered with nuances of tobacco, perfectly matured red fruit and a touch of vanilla.

This superb Crianza, aged for up to 16 months in barrel followed by further aging in bottle, overdelivers in both quality and value. It drinks more like a Reserva—a testament to the exceptional fruit quality grown in Vina Olagosa in La Rioja Alta and to the meticulous work of Bodegas Perica winemaking team.

Tasting notes

Color: Medium garnet

Nose: Enticing aromas of red and black fruit: strawberries, raspberries, black cherry and blackberry. Subtle hints of tobacco, cedar, and vanilla.

Taste: Medium-bodied with great balance. Acidity, tannins and alcohol are all in harmony to create a superb palate experience. Black cherry, Strawberries and raspberries carry on intermingling with notes of tobacco, dried mushrooms and a touch of eucalyptus.

Finish: On target finish! Clean and pleasant with long lasting mouthfeel. Pair with Steaks, Tuna, Poultry, BBQ and Burgers.

Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67 Wine

Expert Review 

92 Points James Suckling | A complex and fascinating young Rioja with aromas of wet earth, dried meaat, tea leaf and dark fruit that follow through to a medium-bodied palate with firm, silky tannins and a flavorful finish. A blend of tempranillo, graciano and mazuelo. 

Winemaker Description 

Deep and brilliant crimson color. It is a very intense wine with a powerful yet delicate nose. It offers all the characteristics of its incredible complexity: noble wood, lightly spiced, with hints of vanilla and cocoa against a background of dark fruit, touches of licorice and woodland, giving this wine personality and elegance.

Very expressive on the palate, full-bodied and refined, with delicious flavors of berries laced with toasty notes. It's a very classy wine.

Our Professional Review

A blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo, and Garnacha. Aged 22 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. This Reserva (2019) is my go-to Reserva to drink right now, although the wine has the potential for further aging in the bottle. Beautiful bouquet of red fruit: strawberries, raspberries, and red currants with hints of warm spices coming from the oak. Medium-bodied with round and well-integrated tannins, supple mouthfeel, and elegant finish with notes of tobacco, toasted nuts, and crisp, enticing red fruit. Drink now, or save a few bottles. - Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67Wine Buyer

Winemaker Description 

Fruit aromas forest, raspberry, strawberries, liquorice witht silky tannins.

Winemaker Description

Traditional and family project from Rioja Alta that delivers a great book Rioja reserve. Made with a majority Tempranillo that is accompanied with a small percentage of Garnacha and Mazuelo from the Viña Olagosa estate located in San Asensio and the Zaco Estate in Haro.

A red wine with fine aromas of vanilla, tobacco and leather, typical of its long aging. 

Expert Review

Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67 Wine Buyer, writes: Ruby color with copper rim; on the nose intense and complex: vanilla, cedar, and tobacco. Medium-bodied with polished aged tannins and espresso and more Tobacco notes. Very elegant finish. 

Keep in mind that this Gran Reserva has been aged from 28 to 30 months bordelaise barriques and further aging of 36 months in bottle before its release to the market. 
For sure one of my top Gran Reservas to drink now!

Winemaker Description

6Cepas6 is a great range that focusses on the fun and approachable side of Rioja. Rather than being over tannic, oaky or dry these wines are bold, fruity and exciting. Hand selecting in the vineyards and sorting in the cellar followed by 6 months aging in new oak barrels. 

Red fruits and spices and toasted brioche. Powerful yet fruity enough to remain balanced and subtle. Soft tannins and a lovely finish. Perfect with red meats, pasta or a good old stew! 

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia 67Wine.com | Only indigenous yeast from the vineyard is used for fermentation.  It is important to take note that Marques de Vargas is aiming to preserve the varietal correctness over the long extended ageing that is typical for the Gran Reservas of the region.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2017

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This deep-ruby-colored wine offers aromas of black cherry, caramel and thyme. Flavors of blackberry, raspberry, licorice, dark chocolate and orange zest are wrapped up in feathery tannins and a soft sheath of acidity. There is a nice floral note on the bright finish. 

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | The 2017 Reserva is surprisingly clean and fresh for such a year; perhaps it is the beginning of a change, as the 2018 also showed a similar profile, different from the wines from previous vintages. It's peppery and spicy, with some toasty notes. It's 70% Tempranillo, 17% Garnacha and 13% Mazuelo that matured in 225- and 500-liter (5%) French oak barrels for 23 months.

James Suckling 91 Points | Delicate creaminess and sweet spices to the blackberries and dark plums. Medium to full body filled with lots of dusty tannins. Subtle finish with some creamy, spiced cherries. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description

On the nose, it is straightforward and clean, with intense fruity aromas of blackberry, red currant, and banana. The wine is fresh and lively on the palate, very pleasant and long, leaving intense memories of red fruit.

Loads of strawberry and cherry aromas with soft acidity and a creamy finish thanks to carbonic maceration.

Pairing recommendation: Appetizers, rice, salads, dry pasta,white meats and light cheeses.

xpert Reviews - Vintage 2017

James Suckling 95 Points | A more vibrant and fruitier expression of Ardanza this year with strawberries, mussels, warm spices and berries. Round and silky on the palate with lovely spices and a long, nicely saline finish. A nice touch of creaminess works really well here and further extends the finish. 80% tempranillo and 20% garnacha. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate 94 Points | 2017 was not an easy harvest, but it produced some beautiful and classical wines, like the 2017 Viña Ardanza Reserva, which shows a little more advancement and polish and is ready to drink. It was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from their vineyard La Pedriza in Tudelilla. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 for the Garnacha (that was harvested 15 days later), with six rackings. It's ripe and aromatic, tertiary, with 14.5% alcohol and mellow acidity, a medium-bodied palate and sleek tannins. It has a pungent note of clove and pepper, some licorice and ink and the cherries in liqueur from the Garnacha. An updated classical Ardanza.

Vinous 93 Points | Viña Ardanza is a wine that embodies the long history of Rioja. The 2017 Gran Reserva Viña Ardanza is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha sourced from Rioja Alta and Oriental. Aged for up to 36 months in American oak, it presents a ripe profile with aromas of black fruit, earth and balsamic, complemented by cedar and vanilla. On the palate, it is dry and rich, with a juicy texture and fine, polished tannins that culminate in a bold and lingering finish. This is a vibrant red wine with harmonious balance

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Baked cherry, raspberry ganache and warm fig flavors are ripe and expressive, with a pleasing counterpoint and added detail from rich notes of loamy earth and leather, plus accents of bay leaf, vanilla and red licorice. There's a supple generosity on the palate, trimmed nicely by fine-grained tannins and a tang of orange peel acidity. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2032.

Winemaker Description 

Intense cherry red color, marking the garnet on the edge of the glass. Of great aromatic power, first of fruity character (cherry, currant, red plum) giving way then to balsamic and spicy notes (pepper, licorice, clove, vanilla, toasted caramel and nutmeg). Fresh and balanced in the mouth, with fine and silky tannins. Ample aftertaste that combines red fruits and spices with a fresh and long character.

Pair with roast lamb, red meats, barbecues, large game, spicy fish casseroles, smoked and aged cheeses.

Expert Review - Vintage 2016

Luis Gutiérrez writes:  The estate red 2016 Reserva comes from a late growing season and was produced with local varieties like Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and others from their 86 hectares of vineyards at 590 to 805 meters in altitude on limestone, sandstone and marl soils. The grapes were picked late with good ripeness and health and fermented with natural yeasts in stainless steel and open-top oak vats and then matured in oak containers of different sizes for 20 to 21 months. These are more classical wines, with a more evolved nose, with high ripeness and some balsamic and medicinal notes. It has a dusty palate with Nebbiolo-like tannins.  Drinking 2022 to 2028.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 93+

Alison Napjus writes:  There's a bright, buoyant feel to this fluid red. Its frame of mandarin orange peel acidity and chalky tannins is well-meshed with a dark and expressive core of macerated blackberry and black plum skin. Fragrant notes of leather, dried flowers, mountain herbs, licorice and paprika add depth to the fruit profile and linger on the finish. Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano. Drink now through 2040.   - Wine Spectator 93

Expert Review - Vintage 2014 

93 Points James Suckling: A very pretty wine now with cedar, mushrooms and dried red fruit. Medium body, fine tannins and a subtle, polished finish Winemaker Description  A clean, bright, pretty red color, developing to maroon. Intense and highly complex aromas. Notes of stewed fruit. Sweet and warm hints from the barrel, and spicy nuances in the background (cinnamon). Nice and long on the palate. Slight acidity is offset by the sweet notes of toasted oak and fruit. The wine has a very long finish, marks by hints of stewed fruit and oak.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The white 2020 Blanco is a little closed, young, clean and tender with subtle oak. They produced a little bit more in 2020, and the wine has less oak and less buttery sensations, a change that started with the 2017 vintage, which seems to have found its style harvesting earlier to retain freshness; it has 13.04% alcohol and a pH @ 3.23 and matured in larger oak containers, 500-liter oak barrels and some concrete for 12 months. It's floral and expressive, a blend of Viura with 20% Garnacha Blanca that they still consider work in progress but moving in the direction they want to go. 16,200 bottles and 100 magnums were filled in March 2022.  Drinking 2022 to 2028.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 93

James Suckling writes:  A delicious, creamy white with aromas of apricots, baked peaches, hazelnuts, white chocolate and nougat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a ripe and creamy palate. Lovely buttery pastry and nougat character, with a fresh finish. Drink now  - James Suckling 93

Pedro Ballesteros MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Pierre Monsour write:  Round and warm on the nose, with fine notes of smoke. A mouth-filling wine that's fresh and expressive.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.  - Decanter 90

Winemaker Notes

Contino Blanco 2020 shows a very intense nose, marked by its aging in barrel. It is fresh and fruity wine, a true reflection of the identity of our vineyard. San Gregorio offers a Garnacha Blanca with great complexity and volume. The soils are clayey-calcareous, with medium stoniness, key for good drainage.

Blend: 80% Viura, 20% Garnacha Blanca

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | A harmonious version, with a deep underpinning of smoke and warm spices buoying concentrated flavors of cassis and baked cherry fruit, tea rose, thyme and licorice. The sculpted tannins are finely integrated, providing a limber yet structured feel to the lingering, spiced finish. Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano. Drink now through 2030. 50,000 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.

Winemaker Description 

A contemporary wine, alluring and well structured, it has captured the character of an outstanding part of the world. Ripe and full of berry fruits and spice, Beronia Reserva's velvety texture is an iconic classic.

92 points James Suckling | This shows earthy character, with notes of cherries, plums, tobacco leaf, leather, cloves and cardamom. Medium-bodied, polished and creamy with a lively fruit component, hints of wet earth, sweet spices and a lingering finish. Drink or hold.

For this special label, we teamed up with Bodega Obalo, located on the border of the famed Rioja Alta zone in Rioja, Spain. Bodega Obalo was established in 2006, and many of their vineyards are situated in Rioja Alavesa. The winery also collaborates with grape growers who follow the same high standards upheld by the estate. All grapes are 100% hand-harvested and undergo a rigorous sorting process. They are then crushed by gravity and deposited into small-batch stainless steel and oak tanks. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine undergoes MLC (malolactic conversion). The wine is then matured for 12 months in French oak barrels, followed by additional aging in the bottle.

This is a classic Crianza crafted with modern winemaking techniques to highlight the purity and quality of the fruit. On the palate, the wine offers an elegant bouquet of red and black fruits, a floral note of violets, and a touch of baking spice. The tannins are round and supple with a silky mouthfeel, while crisp acidity keeps the wine lively and engaging. This is a red Rioja full of life and personality—just like the label it bears. It is an ideal red to enjoy on its own or alongside a wide range of cuisines, including Mediterranean, Asian, modern French, or contemporary American.

This is a truly special label: a Rioja DOCa Crianza featuring artwork created exclusively for 67 Wine by the famed street artist Cope2.

Oscar Garcia Moncada 

• 98% Tempranillo
• 2% Viura and Garnacha

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

The Wine Advocate 93 Points | The very classical 2016 Gran Reserva comes with a very traditional label (they seem to have changed the image of most wines), including the golden wire net. It was produced with a selection of grapes from their El Estanque estate in Haro, a canonical 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in French and American oak barrels for two years and was kept in bottle for another three. It has a textbook spicy nose with sweet spices, smoke and toast, berry fruit and herbs, a touch of forest floor and truffles, with a moderate 13.5% alcohol and balancing freshness.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

The Wine Advocate 92 Points by Luis Gutierrez | The affordable white 2023 Blanco 2º Año was produced with 70% Viura, 25% Tempranillo Blanco and equal parts of Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía. It fermented with selected yeasts, and only one-third of the volume matured in untoasted French oak barrels for five months, while the majority was kept in concrete. It's balsamic and has a medicinal touch, hints of bay leaf, fennel and yellow fruit and flowers. It has a moderate 13% alcohol and nice balance, keeping the freshness, poise and primary character.



Vinous 91 Points by Joaquin Hidalgo | The 2023 Blanco 2º Año hails from Rioja Alta. A blend of Viura and Tempranillo Blanco, it aged in barrels and concrete. Golden in hue, it opens with a creamy profile, subtle oxidative notes and a touch of dried pear. On the palate, it’s broad and grippy, with a nutty, saline finish. The 2023 is a potent white.

Winemaker Description 

From a historic, family-owned, boutique winery smack dab in the hotbed of La Rioja, Haro.  Now operated by the Baños family (since 2004), wines are created from a mix of terroirs in Rioja Alta and Alavesa where high-alt. bush vines thrive.
Aged partly in French oak barrels and concrete tank on the lees, this is a well-balanced, textured blanco – citrus and mineral, juicy and bright. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

James Suckling 90 Points | Plums, strawberries, nutmeg and cedar on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, fine and lightly spicy on the palate.

Winemaker Description 

A deep, cherry red color with a bright garnet edge. Complex on the nose with distinct aromas of cherry and raspberry and threads of rosemary and thyme. This Crianza is full of fresh, ripe berry fruit flavors with hints of sweet baking spices. Full-bodied with a long, balanced finish.

The perfect accompaniment to roasts, chargrilled chops, cured meat and mature cheeses.

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

The Wine Spectator 90 Points |  fragrant overtone of eucalyptus, iron, clove and resin is enmeshed with flavors of macerated raspberry and cranberry, singed orange peel and black olive on the palate of this fresh red, trimmed by taut, sinewy tannins.

Winemaker Description 

An attractive maroon colour with a ruby edge. The bouquet offers elegant balsamic notes with a highly complex spiciness, in addition to hints of ripe dark fruit and a slight aroma of toast. In the mouth it is well-rounded and velvety, with a hint of toast at the end that provides a pleasant finish.

A superb choice to accompany game, roast meat, stews, very mature cheeses and seasonal wild-mushroom dishes.

Expert Review

Zekun Shuai writes: Dusty wood spices, white stone fruit and a touch of vanilla. This is fresh and creamy on the palate, with a medium to full body and a lengthy, creamy finish. Still energetic. Drink or hold. - James Suckling 91

Winemaker Notes

A CLASSIC, AMIABLE CASK-FERMENTED WHITE WINE CHARACTERISED BY ITS ELEGANT NOTES

The strength of all that is traditional. Produced by the white grape variety that is most characteristic of the Rioja region. Its classic composition means that it can be drunk immediately or laid down for later. A wine that typifies our region A very Riojan white wine.

It remains over its own lees for a minimum of three months in Central European acacia and French and American oak barrels. Each of these contributes its own aromas and fragrances. To taste it is to experience the impact of freshness alongside beautifully elegant notes. It is a wine that is both rich and smooth.

VARIETIES: Viura 100%.

Fermented on its own fine lees in new French Allier, American Missouri and Central European Acacia oak barrels. After fermentation it was kept in the barrels in the presence of the lees for three months.

TASTING NOTES: Pale greenish yellow colour with slight oak highlights. On the nose, the subtle fragrance of toasted oak is perceived on a honeyed background of fresh fruit, seasoned with the peculiar aroma of ripe banana provided by the acacia. On the palate it offers a fresh and acidic entry, combined with the slight taste nuance of oak, under which the caramel sensation persists.

Winemaker Description 

With an equal presence of Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, our Campeador Reserva highlights the very best of both, creating a range of rich nuances that is bound to please.

Winemaker Description 

Revealing the character of high-altitude, ancient vines spanning from 35 to 100 years old, this red Rioja is both powerful and structured, yet approachable, offering notes of wild bramble, herbs, and spice that culminate in a prolonged and intense finish.

Producer Description 

Akutain’s Rioja Reserva — a blend of Tempranillo with a touch of Garnacha and Viura — is fermented in a combination of stainless steel and fiberglass tanks, then aged for 35 months in predominantly neutral American oak with a small amount of French barrels. Mid-Ruby in color, this Reserva possesses a beautiful bouquet of ripe berry fruit mixed with notes of dried herbs, tobacco and rose petals.

The full-bodied palate displays concentrated flavors of black cherry, cooked-down strawberries and earth balanced by velvety, textured tannins. The finish exhibits enduring depth and complexity. The perfect companion to grilled, roasted or braised meats and game.

Winemaker Description

Old bush vines grown in the Alto Najerilla region, next to the Cardenas River, specifically within the triangle formed by the towns of Cordovín, Badarán and Cárdenas, at an altitude between 600 and 710 meters above sea level. 60%.

Winemaker Description

Purple with ruby highlights, this wine shows up-front aromas of raspberries and black cherries with undertones of leather and spice. On the palate, it is expansive and rich.

Pair with lamb and apricot tajines, prime rib, tomato stews, or green lentil-based dishes.

Expert Ratings

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points  | This deep-hued wine has a bouquet of brambly fruits of the wood, coffee bean and dried sage. It opens with notes of mint and clove accompanied by sturdy tannins and ripe summer cherry, Mission fig, cocoa powder and dried thyme flavors. The lengthy finish is marked with menthol and pomegranate. (2015). 

Robert Parker 92 Points |  There is some more development in the 2015 Finca Valpiedra Reserva, which also feels a little riper, showing the dry, warm and ripe character of the year but keeping a low pH of 3.47 and 6.2 grams of acidity. This is medium-bodied, although some will call them thin—and certainly, they are not full-bodied and round wines, they are sharper. This is a blend of 92% Tempranillo and 4% each Graciano and Maturana Tinta that matured in French oak barrels for 22 months. These wines are feeling a little more traditional than in the past.

James Suckling 92 Points | This shows notes of incense and smoke on the nose, together with spiced plums, blackberries, dark chocolate, licorice and a hint of tar. Medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins and bright acidity. Ripe, yet juicy and succulent, with a rich finish. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description

Very aromatic, fruity notes stand out over the wood ones. We perceive black fruits such as blackberries and plums alongside with spiced notes, obtained during its time in oak barrels, that bestow elegance. Roasted notes appear gradually as well.  The wine has a great structure and body. It is well-balance and velvety on the mouth. It has a pleasant and long lasting finish.

18 months in French oak barrels. The wine is then finely-tuned in the bottle for a period of six months. For the purpose of preserving every characteristic of the wine, before being bottled, the wine goes through a clarification and stabilization process, followed by a filtration process. Nevertheless, over time, due to the use of very gentle techniques, some natural sediments might appear. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The young, creamy and juicy 2019 Petra is pure Garnacha that fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured in well-seasoned, neutral oak barrels for 15 months, including malolactic. There is a lactic touch and some notes of cereals here that interferes a bit with the purity of Garnacha. It's medium-bodied and has moderate ripeness at 13.5% alcohol, revealing good freshness and acidity and a pH of 3.6.

The Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Deep garnet in color, this single-varietal Garnacha has a nose of black cherry, caramel and nutmeg. Bright fruit and soft baking spice flavors wrapped in silky tannins enliven the palate and drift into a cranberry and orange-zest finish.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2019 Petra de Valpiedra is 100% Garnacha sourced from a single vineyard next to the Ebro River, in the Cenicero area of Rioja Alta. Aged for 1nine months in American and French oak barrels, it displays a garnet hue and presents aromas reminiscent of liqueur, with hints of herbs and ash overlaying a fruit layer. On the palate, it is dry and edgy, with tannins that are fairly searing, leaving a lingering impression of balsamic notes.

James Suckling 92 Points | Aromas of baked raspberries and strawberries with spicy and earthy touches. Medium- to full-bodied with powdery tannins and a soft texture. Firm finish. Drink or hold.

Memo Summary Notes

The Finca Valpiedra Rioja Garnacha Petra de Valpiedra 2019 is a highly praised, single-varietal Garnacha (Grenache) from the Rioja Alta sub-region. It is part of a premium, limited-edition line from the respected Finca Valpiedra winery.

The 2019 vintage is noted for combining the power of Garnacha with great freshness and elegance, making it an excellent example of modern, high-quality Rioja.

The wine's silky texture and savory complexity make it versatile:

• Meat: Grilled lamb, roast duck, or white meats such as turkey and pheasant.

• Spanish Classics: Aged Manchego cheese.

• Other: Fish stews (like tuna marmitako), rice dishes, and mushroom risotto.

The Finca Valpiedra Rioja Garnacha Petra de Valpiedra 2019 is an outstanding example of premium, single-vineyard Garnacha from Rioja, praised for its elegance, freshness, and complexity.