Alberto Orte, La Antigua Clásico Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2014

60% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano.

Vines planted from 1940 to 1955. Tended in red silica sandy soil, which is very unique and rare in Rioja, at 700m elevation.

Alberto Orte's Rioja Reserva is a beautiful deep red. Lively smoke- and spice-accented cherry and red berry aromas are complemented by floral oil, game and pipe tobacco flourishes. Seamless and focused on the palate, offering juicy raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter with air. Shows very good energy and suave floral character on a long, fruit-driven finish that's given shape by well-integrated tannins.

This wine pairs well with braised meats, roasted mushrooms, stewed beef, duck and game.

La Antigua Clásico is one of Alberto Orte’s most enduring history projects and shows off an unexplored region of DOCa Rioja, the western mountain range of Sierra de la Demanda. Inspired by the style of winemaking that was popular in the first half of the 20th century, Alberto’s winemaking emphasizes freshness and minerality, leading to balanced, long-lived wines.

The north-facing, high-altitude vineyards receive far less sunshine than those in the valley, resulting in grapes that ripen slowly, showcasing intense flavors of greater balance and focus. This poses quite a risk that only hands-on viticulture can remedy: this area is one of the last to harvest in all of Western Europe. In addition to the cool climate, Sierra de la Demanda’s vineyards are extremely scattered and steep. This terrain is impossible to mechanize, and all vineyard work must be done by hand. The result is a handcrafted wine of precision and elegance — fresh and beautiful to drink now, with built-in longevity.