Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2009

Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2009

Grapes: 97% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano

ABV: 14.5%

Region: Rioja, Spain

Winemaker: Marcos Eguren

Viniculture: Organic, dry farmed viticulture under conversion to biodynamic

Winemaking: Temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel with indigenous yeast that have been selected from vineyard and cellar. Maceration lasts 20-30 days. Malolactic fermentation in barrel. 26 months in American oak barrels. 25% new oak, 75% maximum of three vintage old barrels. Racked every four months.

“a leather jacket draped on a blackberry bush”

A twelve-year old Spanish red, aged in American oak, with all the old-school depth, dust and complexity you could possibly ask from it. I am a sucker for a wine that hits all the buttons of a classic region, but doesn’t feel tired or stuck in the past.

One of my favorite Rioja descriptions came from an old tasting group I was a part of. Another sommelier and I likened Rioja to “an old, crackled, smoky, cologne-scented leather jacket laying across the backseat of a 1970s station wagon” and while this is a good description for aged, tired Rioja, I think the wine in discussion is more like a lightly-used leather jacket splayed across a blackberry bush. Part of the nature of Tempranillo aged in American oak is to smell old even when the wine is still in its youth. It’s really cool that way, like a wine that time travels.

Bodegas Sierra Cantabria was founded in the late 1950s by Guillermo Eguren, who turned his family from grape growers to winemakers. They farm organically, and grow all their grapes themselves to retain complete control over the production process. Their vineyards are mostly located in the Rioja Alavesa subregion, where Tempranillo reigns supreme. A nominal amount of the Graciano grape is grown as well.

This wine is a leather jacket draped on a blackberry bush. It’s got twang and dust and soul. There’s something inherently lived-in and storied about this wine. Maybe it’s the 12 years of bottle age, or the deep texture that draws you in. Maybe it’s the intoxicating nose of toasted cardamom, turmeric, coconut milk and Maraska cherry. This wine is big but elegant, and has a long finish to offer. It’s a perfect pairing for game, lamb, or stews.