This 2022 vintage is made entirely from Tempranillo and while it carries the Crianza level rather than the more prestigious Reserva or Gran Reserva, don’t let that fool you into underestimating this wine. In the winery, each vineyard plot is handled individually, with fermentation done separately before the final blend is brought together just ahead of its 14-month ageing period in American oak barrels.
It holds a strong 3.9 rating on Vivino. Curiously, the bottle shows an IWC Silver medal for 2022, which is a bit strange considering that award is from three years ago. What they ought to be highlighting instead is the IWSC Silver, with an impressive 92 points awarded in 2025 for this very vintage.
From the moment the bottle is opened, there’s an energetic aroma of black fruit, plum and cherry. Give it a bit of time and it becomes even more expressive, with a rich woodiness developing that you could happily spend time just inhaling. On the tongue, that dark fruit continues to shine through, joined by oak and vanilla flavours that wouldn’t be out of place in a more premium category. This is likely a result of the American oak, lending the wine surprising depth and structure.
Where things get interesting is the finish. It’s long but drying, but not in a way that’s easy to pin entirely on tannins. There is a small tannic element, but I think the dryness is more closely tied to the higher end 14% alcohol content. It’s probable that most of the grape sugar was converted during fermentation, giving this Rioja a dryer end that might divide opinions, but in any case makes it certainly distinctive.
There’s something individual here, a wine with character rather than the predictable profile often found at this price point. Currently available at Tesco for £9.50 with a ClubCard.
