Abel Mendoza Jarrarte Joven Maceración Carbónica 2025

Abel Mendoza set up his Rioja winery in 1987 and built a name for his aged wines, but Jarrarte by carbonic maceration was where the story began, and the style still champions early-drinking freshness. It is a single-variety Tempranillo from organically farmed vineyards in the heart of the appellation. The wine is made by carbonic maceration, the technique in which whole, uncrushed bunches ferment in a carbon-dioxide-rich tank so that fermentation begins inside each intact berry. This intracellular process extracts colour and bright fruit aromatics with little tannin, producing a soft, juicy, aromatic red marked by red fruit and a faint banana note typical of the method. There is no oak ageing, so the wine is bottled young to keep that vivacity. The colour is vivid, bright purple-red. The nose is intense and fresh, with strawberry and raspberry over a floral, peppery lift. The palate is light bodied and lively, with soft tannins, juicy acidity and a clean, fruity finish. Serve cool, at 13 to 15 degrees, ideally within a year or two of the vintage. It suits grilled pork, charcuterie and roast chicken.