Nearly blue in its purple denseness. Creamy smoky richness–pear sauce and pickle–floods out of the glass as poured and beautiful black fruit translates straight over onto the tongue.
I won’t indict myself by saying something as stupid as “I don’t like a certain variety” (or region). Nothing gets you an asterisk faster for me but I have to be honest: coming around to Spanish wines–especially Rioja–has been a 20-plus year process for me. We used to joke about our successes with Rioja being as regular as those with Oregon Pinot. Two comments which obviously would get me in a lot of trouble today.
This Alavesa just cranks out purity of spirit and beauty from top to bottom while not selling out–I think it’s important to add: while not selling out to a completely over ripe New World style of winemaking. There’s a balance, a very delicate ballet, of neither eliminating or accentuating your European foibles while producing a cleanly fruited product. And don’t get me wrong: your European foibles can lap dance on me all night long it’s just in some instances they become almost a caricature of themselves.
This wine is fucking beautiful. Easy and elegant, ridiculously charming, supple and and fleshy while offering a firm tight finish carrying a little citrus pump and flush with stemmy tannin going head-to-head with all that berry and molasses.
Where do you find wines like this? Last Bottle Wines duh!
2014 EL SACRAMENTO Viña Leizaola DOCalificada Rioja Alavesa Spain 14.0
