2021 El Camino, Torre de Oña, Rioja, Spain

The unnamed wine I tasted last year under the generic name Viñedos Artesanales has finally been released as the 2021 El Camino, which comes from three plots of old head-pruned vines planted 81 years ago with Tempranillo and 3% other varieties, including Mazuelo, Garnacha and Viura. The vines are in El Pisón, La Revilla and Las Naves lieux-dits of the village of Elvillar. The destemmed grapes fermented in the new winery that was built for this range, Viñedos Artesanales, in small troncoconic stainless steel vats, and the wine matured in 500-liter French oak barrels for 14 months, including malolactic. Using larger barrels means the wine has to be sold as generic, or "joven"; it cannot be sold as Reserva or Gran Reserva, or even Crianza! But user larger barrels also means the oak is a lot more integrated and has less impact on the wine, which is young and juicy, with great freshness, elegance and balance, with a different profile, with a lot lees oak. It shows a little backward, shy, insinuating and subtle, a little austere and opening slowly in the glass. It's silky and elegant, but it has grip, with very chalky tannins. It has contained ripeness, 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.78, 4.8 grams of acidity and just under two grams of unfermented sugar. It's evolving in a very slow and positive way. It's a good debut. 3,680 bottles were filled in July 2023. The label is unique; it has a small piece of a vine shoot attached to it!

El Camino comes from very small parcels of old vines (average 80 years) in Elvillar de Alava. Aromas of forest floor, red cherry and rhubarb reflect its cool, Rioja Alavesa origin. Already offering perfectly integrated oak, the wine has subtle graphite notes and a certain chalky texture. It is beautifully poised and elegant; a wonderful new release from Torre de Oña.

Striking depth and complexity for a Rioja, with roasted spices, minerals, cumin, red peppercorns and touches of cured meat and cocoa powder. Full and really minerally on the palate, with tense and super-polished tannins. Really long. Drink or hold.