2021 Anza Rioja

Notes

Rioja is in a time of rediscovery. Diego Anza is one of the winemakers who are at the forefront of this exploration. This is a discovery of the terroir, a reconnection with the past. There are an incredible amount of very old vineyards in the region, and some of the best terroirs in Spain. It was those two things that were the catalyst for this project. He owns 4.5 hectares of vines mostly in Rioja Alavesa. There are tiny plots, which he calls “gardens”. These are the traditional field blends that are mostly Tempranillo but there is also Garnacha, Graciano, Viura and Malvasia interspersed throughout the plot. His winemaking falls into the “less is more” category. These plots are to be celebrated not hidden. Fermented in open top wooden vats with native yeasts and a portion of whole bunches. The wine is then aged up until the following harvest when it is blended and bottled. These are wines that transcend the concept of Rioja, yet somehow are an ideal expression of it. Ripe, pure, focused wines that are in conversation with the best wines from France, Italy and the US.