Bodegas Roda Sela Tempranillo 2024

Sela is a Rioja Alta red from Roda, whose cellars stand in the historic Estación de Haro, the railway quarter that holds the highest concentration of wineries anywhere. It is built mostly on Tempranillo from vines of 15 to 30 years, with small additions of Graciano and Garnacha for aroma and lift. Rioja Alta sits at the cooler, higher western end of the region, sheltered by the Sierra de Cantabria, where Atlantic influence and altitude keep the fruit fresh and the wines elegant rather than heavy. Roda farms sustainably, holding fertilisers to a minimum and treating the vines with sulphur and copper. The wine ages twelve months in French oak barrels, and the gradual oxygen exchange through the wood softens the tannin and adds spice and a light vanilla frame while letting the fruit lead. It is bright ruby and medium to full bodied, with red berry and cherry, a herbal, earthy edge, tobacco and fine, supple tannin carried by fresh acidity. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanting young bottles briefly. It is a classic match for roast lamb and grilled beef.