El Abrigado 2019

Bodegas Loli Casado is a small, family-run winery in Rioja Alavesa, working with 25 hectares of vines at 425-500 metres altitude. Their vineyards range from newly planted to over 70 years old, with 9 hectares over 70, 12 between 30-45 years, and 4 under 10 years old. Founded by Luis Casado in 1970, the winery passed to his daughter Loli and her husband Jesús in 2000. While modernising the bodega, they remain committed to tradition, using a mix of French and American oak. Grapes are destemmed before carbonic maceration, with delestage and punching down for extraction. The wines age first in fine-grained new oak, then in older casks, ensuring oak integration while letting the fruit shine. Winemaking Detail: Hand harvested from selected vines in La Llana vineyard, planted in 1945. Each variety is fermented seperately in concrete tanks, before blending. Regular punch-downs during 6 months ageing in concrete tanks.

Hand harvested from selected vines in La Llana vineyard, planted in 1945. Each variety is fermented seperately in concrete tanks, before blending. Regular punch-downs during 6 months ageing in concrete tanks.

Rich; dark and concentrated on the nose; with notes of blueberries; blackberries, damson and plum. Palate is intense and complex with fine; grainy tannins. Fleshy and fruity with a long; complex; mineral finish and perfectly integrated acidity.

Casserole, Roast duck, Venison

Rioja is arguably the best known wine region the world, and especially in the UK where year on year we buy about a third of their total global export. The c.600 winery-strong region, set across the communities of La Rioja, Navarre, and the Basque province of Álava is the spiritual home of Tempranillo. At c.140km from the North coast it benefits from a real continental climate. Moderated by the Cantabiran mountains to the north the best sites, at 400-800m, are in the subregions of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Whites are made from Viura but these days Rioja is over 85% red. Oak aging (and choice of oak) plays a huge role, with wines made Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva all having their own distinctive styles and fans.