2017 Miguel Merino Reserva Rioja (1.5L bottle)

Bodega Miguel Merino is located in the Rioja Alta village of Briones. Having spent decades in the business of exporting Rioja to the world Miguel Merino had more than his fair share of the classic great wines from the region. It was with that knowledge and inspiration he founded his own Bodega in the mid 90’s. It is the combination of clay soils rich in limestone, the altitude, and relatively steep slopes that make this an incredible location to grow Tempranillo. The blend is mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Graciano, the wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged for two years in oak. It is then bottled and then aged for an additional three years. They like to describe their style as “updated classic”, by that they mean the using a mix of French and American oak and crafting wines with a fresher brighter fruit component. That style is evident here with the fruit character being ripe and fresh. The oak frames the fruit with a mix of savory and sweet spices, that classic Rioja leathery earthiness is present but subdued. The tannins are present and polished and there is a fine lingering earthiness on the finish of the wine. This is an updated expression of a classic style.