Sierra Cantabria, Calados Del Puntido, 2014

Bright, fresh, and mineral on the nose, this Tempranillo shows beautifully integrated oak with fine fruit running through the palate. It’s elegant and well-balanced, finishing clean and vibrant.

The wine comes from the estate’s own 45-year-old vineyards in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa. Grapes are handpicked and fully destemmed before a short cold soak to capture purity of fruit. Fermentation uses native yeasts selected from the vineyards, with gentle pump-overs early on, and the wine spends around 10 days on skins for colour, mineral, and tannin extraction.

Ageing is split between French oak barrels, 30% new, for six months, followed by transfer into brand-new barrels for a further 16 months. The result is a Rioja with depth and precision, where fruit, structure, and oak are held in great balance.