2011 Bodegas Puelles Crianza Rioja

Notes

A K&L Direct Import! Jesús Puelles is one of the most talented vignerons in Rioja. Hailing from a long line of vineyard worker/owners, Puelles knows the terruño in his little slice of land in the Rioja Alta town of Abalos. All of the grapes for his red wines come from his own 26 hectares, which are generally north facing and located between 300 and 600 meters in altitude, all within the village of Abalos, very rare in a region where sourcing from various villages and even sub-zones is more the norm. Produced from primarily estate fruit (Tempranillo, with a touch of Mazuelo, Garnacha and Graciano), this is a lovely Crianza that beautifully shows the elegance of the vintage. Mixed berries and a hint of earthy savor on the nose lead to a palate showing delicious fruit of terrific cut and purity. The wine was aged in used French and American oak barrels (roughly 50% each), racked twice, and lightly filtered prior to being bottled and undergoing additional aging at the winery. This is a textbook Crianza, with loads of style and a lot to offer for the price. (Joe Manekin, K&L Spanish wine buyer)