Castillo de Cuzcurrita, Seà±orà­o de Cuzcurrita Rioja, 2020

This is a wine of rare quality. In fairness, it seems like the hit-rate of Rioja for 'critic favourite' wines is higher than another other appellation.

But this is another level above - especially at this price.

DECANTER BEST WINE OF THE YEAR? Come on.

The wines are 100% Tempranillo and all are ‘en vaso’ – goblet-pruned bush vines. The wines are worked only with gravity and are aged in French oak.

The main vineyard was planted in 1970. Initially very vigorous, organics and yield reduction now see production reduced to a startlingly low ½ kilo/vine from the sandy, stony soil. Harvest is very late, usually commencing in mid-October.

Fruit is de-stemmed, hand sorted and basket pressed with gravity pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel after stainless foudre, and ageing is in a combination of new, one-year, and two-year-old barriques. After ageing, the assembly is rested in large concrete for a few months prior to bottling.