Bodegas Lanzaga ‘Lanzaga’ Rioja 2021

“The Rioja red 2021 Lanzaga is their village wine from Lanciego (but it’s crossed out on the label). It’s subtler but powerful and produced each year with better vineyards. The vines are getting older, and there is more of a varietal mix (it has only 55% Tempranillo) with lots of Garnacha and Graciano. It’s perfumed and clean, a great result of a blending exercise, with integrated oak. It has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.7 and moderate acidity, but there’s a sense of much more freshness, with very fine and elegant tannins, velvety, the signature of the year. It doesn’t have a Burgundy bottle, and it’s not sealed with wax, but it’s a lot more elegant and with a profile that has gradually changed since 2014 or 2015. It matured in 1,500- and 2,500-liter oak vats and some 225-liter barrels for 14 months. It’s probably better than ever.” 95pts Luis Gutiérrez The Wine Advocate