2020 La Montesa, Crianza, Palacios Remondo, Rioja, Spain

They are going for lower yields and less bottles of the 2020 La Montesa and slowly putting prices up, as they feel the wine is more serious than what the perception of the affordable price makes it.

2020 is a powerful vintage; it's structured and textured, the oak is very nicely integrated 12 months in barrel, but the powerful wine absorbed it completely), and it's powerful with 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.55, a little darker than in previous years.

The tannins are very fine with a subtle chalky texture. There were 2,319 barrels that resulted in 672,000 bottles, 10,000 magnums and some larger and smaller formats. It was bottled from April 2022.

Drink 2022 - 2027

Look no further If you’re after an outstanding wine for your Sunday table, produced by a celebrated winemaker, and which doesn’t break the bank. Alvaro Palacios' Finca La Montesa delivers on all fronts: drinkability, complexity, elegance, length and great value. Rioja – and Garnacha – delivered with poise and classic modernity.

Drink 2024 - 2028

Álvaro Palacios makes commendably large volumes of this delightful assemblage of Garnacha with 5% other, co-planted red and white varieties on the Monte Yerga. Deeper in colour and more structured than the 2019 release, this is a classic mountainside red with bramble, blueberry and red cherry fruit, sappy tannins, stylish 15% new wood and a plush, glossy finish.

Drink 2023 - 2030