This wonderful bottle was sourced in Waitrose on my birthday (I thought I would buy something I know, but maybe better), so after paying approximately £22, I rushed back home to taste it.
The name already promised much, as Alta is small, but very mighty sub-region, that normally produces only exceptional examples.
The wine was delicate, smooth, showed powerful fruit – strawberries and pronounced oak / vanilla.
I like that it is refreshing but couldn’t be described as acidic – this is where rich fruit, oak and quality winemaking create what you call ’roundness’.
I struggle to describe it further, you just need to try it – it is complex enough so you can pick up your own flavour associations . If you are wondering what is a real top quality Rioja, look no further! I know, it sounds like a sales pitch, but it’s an honest opinion of a person who loves Spanish wines, that would be me.
On the final note, I must conclude that if you are not ordering a bottle for some special occasion or dinner, you are missing out on the complexity and concentration, which are fantastic, and its expressiveness – how well this wine represents Rioja region.
Cheers!
