Valenciso Reserva Rioja 2012

As always, this is 100% handpicked Tempranillo from the clay/limestone soils around Haro. The grapes come from 11 plots, including Villalba, Rodezno Briones and Ollauri, all managed under strict culture raisonnée guidelines and cropped at well below the regional guidelines (of 38 hectolitres per hectare). Valenciso ferment in cement vats with native yeasts, and the wine is then aged for 16 months in low-toast French oak barriques, one-third replaced each year. Although many 'traditional' Rioja are aged in US oak, you might be surprised to hear that French oak has a much longer history in the region. Records show that French and Bosnian oak were the norm before WWI. The hardship that followed saw the adoption of the cheaper and more plentiful American equivalent. When you taste a wine like this it is easy to see what was lost with this change. Following its stay in oak, this wine is transferred back to concrete vats to settle for a further 12 months. Luis and Carmen find the wine clarifies so well in concrete that there is no need to fine or filter the wine before bottling. The 2011 is a beautifully cool, spicy and elegant Rioja with plenty of red and black cherry fruit spiked with resin, brown spices, blood and anise notes. It has a supple texture and a fresh, racy finish. Super classy.