Viña Lanciano Reserva 2020

Viña Lanciano Reserva is a Rioja red from Bodegas LAN, drawn from the single Viña Lanciano estate set near a bend in the river Ebro and owned by the winery. The blend is led by Tempranillo with Graciano and Mazuelo adding structure and aromatic lift. The estate's vines are more than thirty years old, hand-harvested and sorted on tables at the cellar. The Ebro valley site, moderated by the river, gives a balanced ripening that suits the elegant, savoury Rioja style. Fermentation runs in small conical stainless steel tanks with a long maceration and continuous pumping over to extract colour and tannin gently from the skins. The wine then follows a traditional Reserva ageing: time in French Troncais oak and Russian oak barrels, followed by twenty months resting in bottle. The mix of oak origins and the long bottle age soften the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and develop the leather, tobacco and dried-herb complexity that marks a classic Rioja Reserva. Expect a ruby red with garnet at the rim, a nose of red cherry and berry with vanilla, sweet spice, leather and tobacco, and a smooth, balanced palate with a long savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. Good with roast lamb, grilled beef and hard cheese.