Rioja 2021, Alegre Valgañón

This is a blend of roughly 75% Tempranillo from the Obarenes zone, and 25% Garnacha from Cárdenas. The Garnacha lends some lovely aromatic notes—flowers and red fruit, a touch of iodine and wet stones. The palate is medium-bodied, there is some tannin, softened by the Garnacha, and it's juicy and round, and finishes with a faint bitter twist. The grapes are fermented primarily in wooden vats using at least 25% whole bunches and given a 30+ day maceration. The wine is then aged in a mix of used French barriques and demi-muid. Once again, the blend of vivid fruit and intense mouthfeel is uncommon in wines from this era. About the Winery A decade or so ago, traditional Rioja seemed to be on the verge of extinction, beaten into submission by the “international” winemaking trend that has swept the region for more than thirty years. But today, traditional Rioja is making a strong comeback, as connoisseurs come to realize that the sumptuous CUNE Viña Reals and Lopez Tondonias and Bosconias fr