2016 Reserva, DOCa Rioja, Bodegas Luis Cañas (6x75cl)

In 1970 Luis Cañas changed two hundred years of tradition and became the first winemaker in Rioja Alavesa to bottle his young wine rather than sell it as bulk.  This bold move, and his continued pioneering spirit, has cemented the winery’s enviable reputation as one of the most progressive in the region.

95% Tempranillo is blended with 5% Graciano and from much older vines, averaging 40 years or more. The bunches undergo rigorous manual selection and grapes are sorted based on weight. Following this double selection, they are de-stemmed and crushed before fermentation in stainless steel, obtaining better colour extraction as well as much more complex and tannic wines, suitable for prolonged aging. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged for 18 months in French and American oak.

Deep cherry red, clean and bright. Good aromatic intensity with notes of ripe red fruits over a base of elegant balsamic. In the mouth is tasty, mellow, fresh and with fine nuances of sweet fruit. It has volume and the tannins are well integrated and polished. In the aftertaste, touches of very ripe fruit and nuances of liquorice appear making it last in the palate.