Rioja San Vicente 2018, Señorío de San Vicente

Described as “Rioja made in the image of a Chateau Margaux, where richness is combined with elegance” by Robert Parker, this is an exceptional and unique wine, made entirely from Tempranillo Peludo, which grows around the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra. ‘Peludo’ means ‘hairy’, and it is so-named because of the downy undersides of the leaves. Unlike most Tempranillo, Peludo requires a long season to ripen, and produces unusually low yields. The wine comes from a single vineyard called La Canoca, which sits at close to 600m elevation at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria mountains. All these factors make producing it a risky business, and indeed in some years, the Eguren family has not produced any. However, the risk is worth it due to its unforgettable intensity, complexity and ageability. A sensational, must-try wine that is irresistible young but deserves a few years in the cellar.