2018 El Velado Rioja Øko Bodega Lanzaga Telmo Rodriguez

A red with stones, fresh berries and cherries and some orange-peel undertones. Hints of spice, too. Medium-boded with fine tannins, So long and polished. Very classic-textured palate. Wonderful complexity. From organically grown grapes. So drinkable now, but even better in 2024.

El Velado is an east and north-east facing parcel of 0.93 hectares located at 620 metres. Marrying Garnacha with Tempranillo and some white grapes - Telmo Rodríguez is always deliberately vague about the exact details - this is a grippy, zesty cuvée with floral top notes, lots of underlying concentration and energy, sinewy tannins and the backbone to age gracefully.

The 2018 El Velado comes from a southeast-facing vineyard in the village of Lanciego that has a high proportion of Garnacho from Viñaspre as well as other varieties in a field blend where Tempranillo dominates. 2018 was a wet year that produced mildew in the vineyards and resulted in a late harvest (October 8th to November 1st). It fermented in an open-top 3,000-kilo oak vat with indigenous yeasts and matured in barriques and foudres for 14 to 16 months. This feels more balanced and fresher than other vintages, and the wine is quite fluid, a year of good yields and fine tannins. The grapes developed fully, as the cycle was long and the ripeness very good.