Bodegas Akutain, Rioja Reserva, 2019

£37.30

Classic, Tempranillo‑led Rioja Alta Reserva from a small Haro estate; long ageing in old oak and bottle brings ripe red fruit, spice and savoury complexity with balanced structure.

plum
dried fig
sweet spice
herbal

At a glance

Producer: Bodega Akutain
Region: Rioja Alta
Appellation: Rioja DOCa
Grape: Tempranillo Garnacha Viura
Country: Spain
Wine type: Red
Size: 75.0cl

Taste profile

Acidity: Medium
Tannin: Medium
Sweetness: Dry

How to serve it

Serve: Cool room temperature (16–18°C)

Why Cave selected it

Small family grower in Haro making traditional Rioja Alta with extended oak and bottle ageing; the Reserva offers authenticity, complexity and cellar potential at fair value.

About the wine

There is structure and complexity here with spicy, plummy, dried fig fruit as well as a herbal edge; old oak ageing seamlessly integrated and allows a fresh and lifted finish, with salinity keeping everything in focus. Bottled unflitered. If you like your Rioja then Akutain are a top Bodega. This is drinking well now but will reward patience as this has some ageing potential.

About Bodega Akutain

Bodega Akutain is a 6.5ha family estate set up by Jon Peñagaricano’s father 40 years ago, 5km west of Haro’s epicentre. Here they spare no effort to produce wines that accurately reflect the wind-swept limestone clay higher hills of Rioja Alta (all their vineyards are in this zone) and are in the process of converting to organic viticulture. The winery and underground cave that they use to age their bottles are located next to their vineyards (split into four parcels that are all vinified separately), and they are consequently able to time their picking and transport the hand harvested grapes back to the winery in perfect condition, and much quicker than most bodegas who buy grapes from many widely scattered sources.

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