Rioja Amancio 2019, Viñedos Sierra Cantabria

The Eguren’s most cherished Rioja vineyard is called La Veguilla, planted 1975 at San Vicente de la Sonsierra. The vines here produce just two or three bunches of grapes each year, and the fruit quality is already outstanding. However, to make Amancio, La Veguilla’s most exquisite individual grapes are selected and de-stemmed by hand. The wine therefore requires longer ageing in top-quality, new French oak Bordeaux barrels, which is why it is released the latest. It also demands further ageing in the bottle to truly show its extraordinary nature, so be prepared to hold on to it for a few years. With maturity, you can expect an impressive explosion of flavour complexity: black cherries, dark chocolate, figs, aniseed, dried herbs, woodsmoke, soy sauce, spices and beef stock. Patience required, but absolutely worth the wait!