Exopto El Espinal 2022

Exopto was founded in 2003 by Tom Puyaubert, a winemaker from Bordeaux who set out to read Rioja from his own angle. El Espinal centres on Maturana Tinta, an old indigenous Rioja grape recovered from near extinction, prized for its deep colour, firm acidity and pronounced peppery character. The Rioja Oriental and Alavesa vineyards that feed these wines sit on clay and limestone soils, where the cooler nights of the diurnal swing slow ripening and hold the natural acidity that keeps a 14.5% wine fresh. The wine ages 15 months in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood softens the tannins and adds a frame of cedar and spice without burying the fruit. Expect a dark, dense colour and a nose of black plum, blackberry and crushed pepper over thyme and damp earth. The palate is structured and savoury, with firm but ripe tannins and a long, mineral finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, ideally decanted an hour ahead, alongside roast lamb, grilled red meat or a mushroom and barley dish.