Akutain Reserva Selection 2014

Bodega Akutain sits in the Rioja Alta near Haro, the cool north-western corner of the appellation where Juan Peñagaricano Akutain founded the winery in the 1970s after time at CVNE and La Rioja Alta. The Reserva Selección is built mainly on Tempranillo, with Garnacha for flesh and a small share of Viura. Rioja Alta lies at higher altitude than the rest of the region, and the Atlantic-influenced climate brings a wide diurnal swing that slows ripening and keeps acidity firm, so the fruit carries freshness alongside its weight. The wine spends seventeen months in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange through the oak softens the tannin, knits the fruit to the wood and adds vanilla, clove and a savoury edge. The colour is deep ruby. The nose leads with black fruit, blackberry and plum, over leather, tobacco and dried herbs from the extended ageing. The palate is medium to full, with ripe fruit, a savoury core and tannin that has settled into something supple and food-friendly, closing long and earthy. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. It suits roast lamb, grilled beef and aged sheep's cheese.