2016 La Estrada Rioja Bodega Lanzaga

The purity and beauty of the wine are so impressive with crushed berries and flowers. Medium to full body. Dense and gorgeous. Spice, dark fruit and asphalt, yet always long and beautiful. Real Rioja. Drink now or hold.

The 2016 La Estrada is from a northeast-facing 0.64-hectare plot, one of the highest vineyards in the village of Lanciego, at 610 meters in altitude. This vineyard was planted in the 1940s on a shallow plateau with mostly Tempranillo with a little Graciano, and the altitude provides freshness and balance. The 2016 feels very harmonious and elegant, clearly above the 2015 I tasted next to it. There is more precision and finesse here, the finest bottling of this vineyard to date 2019 - 2030.

The production from this east-facing, 0.64-hectare site in Lanciego is tiny, unfortunately. Located on clay and limestone soils, it's a dark, brooding, tightly wound red that will reward cellaring. Concentrated, black cherry and damson flavours with serious, sinewy tannins and mineral-etched acidity. 2024-35.

Deep, vivid ruby. A highly complex bouquet evokes fresh red berries, cherry liqueur, tobacco and vanilla, and smoky mineral and exotic spice overtones build in the glass. Sweet, mineral-laced raspberry, cherry-vanilla and floral pastille flavors show impressive depth and complementary suggestions of spicecake and bitter chocolate. Smoothly combines power and delicacy and finishes supple, sweet and extremely long, with polished tannins making a late appearance.