1997 Bodegas Las Orcas Solar de Randez Reserva Rioja

Every now and then, we come across a perfectly aged gem of a wine, showing optimally and without any need for additional cellar time. In this case, the wine comes direct from the cool, dimly lit cellars of Bodegas Las Orcas, just outside of the medieval walled village of Laguardia. Rioja continues to be one of the most underrated wine regions for elegant, ageworthy, value priced wines that consistently deliver lots of pleasure at the table. Classically styled, this wine shows all the nuances of flavor and elegance one could hope for in a mature medium-bodied red wine. Warm, earthy and subtly spicy aromas show loads of dark cherry and savory, meaty nuances, not unlike many of our favorite 1997 Bordeaux! Bodegas Las Orcas is a family winery, with a bodega  just outside the town wall of Laguardia and vineyards located nearby in the Rioja Alavesa. Tempranillo, the basis of the wine, thrives in the heavily clay/calcareous soil. There's also a bit of Garnacha. This is a perfect bottle to drink now, as well as to show you what you have to look forward to when you age your Rioja! Highly recommended.