Senderos de Ukan 2022

Koldo Eguren, of the well-known Eguren winemaking family, runs Ukan, a small Rioja Alavesa winery built on the Bordeaux model of working in limited quantities from selected parcels. Senderos de Ukan is its second wine, drawn from Tempranillo vineyards averaging around fifty years of age in the villages of Laguardia, Elciego and their surroundings. Rioja Alavesa sits at altitude on the sheltered side of the Sierra de Cantabria, on poor calcareous clay soils that limit yields and retain water through the dry summer. The cool nights of the elevated, continental site preserve acidity and give the wine its freshness and aromatic detail, while the old vines contribute concentration and depth. Ageing is twelve months in French oak, where slow oxygen exchange softens the tannins and adds spice and a measured sweetness of vanilla, in a fresher register than traditional American-oak Rioja. The colour is bright cherry red. The nose shows red and black berries, ripe cherry, vanilla, tobacco and a savoury earthy note. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and balanced at a moderate 13 percent, with fine tannins and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 degrees. It is a classic match for lamb and grilled meats.