Bodegas Akutain, Rioja Reserva, 2020

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.