A full metal wine label? That is a badass as it comes. This bottling hails from the Baja region of Rioja. The winery–which started as a cooperative back in the ’50’s— is located in Alfaro, the easternmost Riojan town, at the border with Navarra.
If you relied solely on wine textbooks, you would never have tasted this wonderful wine. You would have read that Rioja Baja produces good and quaffable wines, not exceptional ones. You would have read that cooperatives don’t make great wine. You would have missed out on a great wine that highlights one of the greatest truths about wine: information is not knowledge. The world of wine is much bitter than what is in books.
Wine Review
This wine proves that point. Aromas of star anise, cigar box, and balsamic draw you in. The palate is pure velvet, with Cuban tobacco backing up toasted spices and decadent dark fruit. The wine finishes off with fresh red cherries, spiced plum, and mocha. Mostly Tempranillo with some grenache and Marzullo in the blend.