2021 Bodegas Exopto Rioja La Mimbrera de Exopto, Rioja

Precise, peppery nose with blackberries, blueberries and hints of violet and white pepper. Tangy and chalky on the palate with a medium to full body where the tannins snatch up the fresh blue fruit and spread them evenly across the palate. Structured and chalky finish with excellent length.

94 points jamessuckling.com

This limited-release field blend celebrates the very first plot of old bush vines Tom Puyaubert purchased in the village of Ábalos back in 2003. La Mimbrera is a 0.5-hectare plot of vines, only one kilometre away from El Espinal, yet it is a radically different terroir with different varieties. Planted on a limestone hillside at El Hoyo with stunning views over the Sierra de Cantabria, the vineyard is roughly 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% Viura, all surrounded by the wild garrigue of the area. The Garnacha vines were planted well over a century ago, while the Tempranillo and Viura sit in the 70- to 80-year-old range.
 
The grapes are hand-harvested and co-fermented using wild yeasts, and the wine is matured in a single, used French oak barrel before finishing its aging in a sandstone amphora. The new release is packed with class, from the purity of focused blackberry fruit to the mouthcoating, chalky structure that clings to the palate. Marked by the limestone soils, the finish is long and penetrating. It’s a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Atlantic-influenced Rioja with a proper frame for long aging.