2021 Finca Valpiedra "Cantos de Valpiedra" Crianza Rioja

The modern, clean and fresh 2021 Cantos de Valpiedra was cropped from a cooler year that delivered a fresh wine that also has power, juicy fruit and ripe, fine tannins. It has a moderate 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness and acidity that make it very pleasant, balanced and easy to drink. This is a modern Crianza that was aged for 12 months in used barriques. (LG)

I’ve been talking about this for a while now, but the 2021 vintage in Rioja is outstanding – easily one of the best in recent memory. Cooler and longer than average, the wines have a gorgeous delicacy and sense of restraint, and the 2021 Cantos de Valpiedra Crianza Rioja is another winner. Miles away from more oaky, extracted styles of Rioja, this 100% Tempranillo wine is instead dominated by incredibly fresh acidity and crunchy red fruit flavors – think pomegranate, Bing cherry and cranberry. Valpiedra sits on an 80-hectare estate along a meander of the Ebro River, and their vineyards are famous for their abundance of “cantos rodados”, which are the large, rounded river stones seen on the label. This feels appropriate, as the wine’s mouthfeel is grippy, with an almost stony minerality that comes through clearly. Faint aromas of oak from 12 months in American and French barrels linger in the background, but the focus here is youthful red fruit and texture. The freshness and energy here is remarkable and very true to the vintage. Simply put, this isn't a big, heavily extracted Rioja. Rather, it’s elegant and polished. I’d open this bottle up an hour or two before serving, and possibly even decant it, to allow the tightly-wound aromas to open up. Given the firm structure, I’d also be curious to revisit this wine in a few years to see how it might evolve – and at this price, there’s no reason not to pick up extra bottles for the cellar for just that. It’s just another fantastic value from a fantastic vintage – estate-grown fruit from a distinctive single-vineyard site, made in a traditional Crianza style with a fresh and modern approach.