Altos R Pigeage Tempranillo 2015

Winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua may have perfected his craft at Bordeaux’s famed Château Haut Brion, but he has Rioja in his blood (it is his mother’s homeland, after all).

This red is special to Jean-Marc, so he sought out grapes from a plot of 80-year-old Tempranillo and Graciano vines in the premium district of Rioja Alavesa. These miserly old vines yield tiny grapes that deliver a sweet, pure intensity. To showcase all that flavor character and draw out deep color with velvety texture, Jean-Marc employed the pigeage technique in the cellar (a traditional Burgundian method of fermenting in open vats and gently plunging skins, repeatedly). After treating the wine to a luxurious 28 months in French oak barrels, the quality-obsessed Jean-Marc was happy and he released this gem to unbelievable acclaim.

We’ve counted four gold medals so far, plus a ‘Top 100’ rating from the Wine From Spain Awards and two 95-point scores from International Wine Challenge judges and Master of Wine Tim Atkin. Mr. Atkin raved: “a step up on the impressive 2014, which was very good in its own right, this is the best release yet from Altos de Rioja under this label ... it’s an unashamedly modern red, with masses of color, serious tannins, refreshing acidity, and complex, layered fruit.

With acclaim like this, we can’t promise that our limited stocks will last. You know what you need to do.