Señorio de Amézola Rioja Reserva 2015

Awarded 92 points by Master of Wine Tim Atkin, Señorio de Amézola Reserva 2015 is the best Rioja nobody has ever heard of.

This is classic Rioja at its very best, but without the usual price tag associated with that. A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano, that’s matured in oak for 22 months and an additional 14 months in the bottle, this compelling red melts in the mouth with black cherry, damson jam, raspberry, brambles, plum pie, oak, toasted coconut, vanilla and festive spices. Structured, yet incredibly smooth, we could drink this Rioja all day long. Fans of Rioja should make sure that this producer is firmly on their radar.

María and Cristina Amézola Downes are two of the youngest bodega owners in Rioja Alta, the western part of Rioja that stretches from Logroño to Haro. They inherited Bodegas Amézola de la Mora when their father Iñigo died in a tragic accident. Although the 60-hectare family estate very much remains a classic Rioja producer, these two siblings are experimenting and putting their stamp on it. With a little help from consultant Georges Pauli, formerly of the ever-popular Château Gruaud Larose in Bordeaux, their wines are some of the most exciting we’ve tasted from Rioja in a long while.