Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2017

La Rioja Alta is one of the most respected of the traditional Rioja houses, based in Haro. Viña Arana Gran Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo, around 95 percent, with a small portion of Mazuelo, drawn from vineyards in Rodezno and Labastida in Rioja Alta and Alavesa. These cooler, higher sub-zones sit on clay-limestone soils that retain water through dry summers and lend the wine its freshness and fine structure. The 2017 vintage was marked by a severe spring frost, which reduced yields and gives the wine a restrained, elegant maturity. Alcoholic fermentation runs at controlled temperature for eleven days, followed by a full malolactic fermentation that softens the acidity. The wine then spends thirty-six months in American oak barrels, the long oxidative ageing that defines the Gran Reserva category. This extended barrel time, with slow and steady oxygen exchange, builds the classic tertiary aromas of leather, tobacco and dried herbs while integrating the tannins into a smooth, savoury whole. It shows a garnet colour with maturity at the rim, and a nose of ripe dark fruit, vanilla, leather and tobacco. The palate is medium bodied, elegant and long, with fine, resolved tannins. The wine is made to a vegan specification. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted ahead. It suits roast lamb, game and mature cheeses.