Diego Magaña Anza 2023

Diego Magaña Anza comes from Rioja Alavesa, the cool northern subzone of Rioja that sits between the Ebro river and the Toloño mountains in the Basque Country. Magaña began the project in 2016 and now farms 4.5 hectares of small parcels around Laguardia, Elvillar and Cripán, worked under respectful agriculture. The soils here are poor limestone clay over rock, which restricts vigour and concentrates the fruit, while the altitude and the shelter of the Toloño give cold nights that hold acidity and let the Tempranillo ripen slowly. The wine is built on Tempranillo with other local red varieties, fermented and then aged twelve months in large foudres. The big format means a low ratio of wood surface to wine, so the oak shapes and stabilises through measured oxygen exchange rather than stamping vanilla and toast across the fruit. The colour is a vibrant ruby. The nose centres on ripe cherry and plum with red berries behind, threaded with tobacco and a soft cedar spice, and the palate is supple and fresh, the savoury, lightly leathery finish carried by Rioja Alavesa's natural acidity. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. It is built for roast lamb and grilled red meat.