Ramirez de la Piscina, Crianza 2018

Region: Rioja, Spain Varietal: 100% Tempranillo Tasting notes: Blackberry, tar and violet aromas. Wet earth, too. Medium to full body with firm, racy tannins and a solid finish. A structured and very classic Rioja. Drink or hold. Producer: The Ramirez de la Piscina family of San Vicente have been farming grapes in this historic village since the 13th century. Their family name is shared with the hermitage of Santa María de la Piscina, a 12th century Romanesque hermitage, a historic landmark site that is engraved with the Ramirez family crest, speaking to the family's long history in Rioja. Today, they produce small quantities of extremely classical Rioja wines from estate and long-term contracted vineyards in San Vicente and Abalos, two of the most important villages in the Sonsierra Riojana, a geographic "triangle" of quality between San Vicente, Abalos, and Labastida. Vineyard and Winemaking: Estate owned and vineyards leased on long term contracts in the villages of San Vicent