Altos R Pigeage Tempranillo Rioja 2018

Our Haut-Brion-trained winemaker, Jean-Marc Sauboua, founded Altos in 2006 and, all together, has won over 180 Golds, Trophies, plus many high scores. He works with the young Amaia Amestoy and Hector Gomez in the cellar, whose CVs includes experience at Napa’s Château Montelena, Contino and Murrietta in Rioja and Villacreces in Ribera del Duero. They made this wine from old-vine (80+ years) Tempranillo and Graciano, vinifying it using Burgundy’s pigeage method. This involves fermenting in open vats and plunging the skins into the liquid three times a day – hands-on winemaking that delivers great results. This 2018 vintage, aged for two years in half new French oak and bottled unfiltered, boasts 16 Golds including 2 x Grand Golds and 4 x Great Golds, many scores up to 96pts, and offers seams of intense black fruit with spice-box complexity. "Full-bodied with firm, chalky tannins, fresh acidity and a creamy, velvety texture. Flavorful, rich... 94pts" (James Suckling).