From: Rioja, Spain
Blend: 95% Tempranillo 5% Mazuelo
Taste & Critical Acclaim: Winemaker Notes. Intense garnet colour. Aromas of red fruits, cherry, blackberry, blended with notes of vanilla and spices from the oak. Liquored cherries, black pepper, eucalyptus, fig. The silky, well-integrated tannins and balsamic acidity support the full body. Structured, fleshy, filling. Elegant, balanced and harmonious. Long aftertaste. Combine with grilled and stewed meats, spicy dishes, hearty pasta, legumes and cured cheeses.
JS James Suckling 91
A rather traditional reserva with berry, vanilla and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium body with refined tannins and a delicious finish. Drink or hold.
WS Wine Spectator 90
This medium-bodied red features a creamy, well-meshed flavor range of baked cherry, mocha, dried thyme and black licorice, with supple tannins. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2028. 60,000 cases made, 10,000 cases imported.
Pairing: It should be no surprise that this Rioja Reserva will pair excellently with Spanish food, especially lamb and pork dishes that incorporate red peppers, pimenton, garlic, and saffron (we’re sharing a recipe below that riffs off of this idea). Other ideas include serving this red with grilled or roasted meat dishes like NY strip steak or ribeye steaks, beef tenderloins, lamb chops, venison stew, sausages, or veal chops.
Lamb, Harissa and Almond Sausage Rolls
Recipe from Paul Allam
Adapted by Melissa Clark
About. Founded in 1972, Bodegas LAN lies in the heart of Rioja Alta. The name LAN comes from the initials of the three provinces of the Rioja Designation of Origin: Logroño, Álava, and Navarra. María Barua has been the head winemaker and technical director since 2002. She brings both scientific expertise (with an academic background in chemistry and her oenology degree) and local knowledge (having been born and raised in Rioja). With her young and energetic team, María focuses on using the latest advances in winemaking to ‘express the virtues of the land.’
The estate sustainably farms its Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, and Garnacha vineyards. The Viña Lanciano vineyard is one of the most spectacular vineyards in the region, located on a bend of the River Ebro. The vineyard’s poor, stony soils and the average vine age of 60 years are conducive to low yields. The vines are divided into 24 plots of different soils, grape varieties, and aspects so that each can be hand-picked at perfect ripeness. The winery has a rigorous selection process to ensure that only perfect bunches are used. Bodegas LAN also painstakingly selects and tests their oak barrels and has even pioneered a hybrid barrel - American staves with French oak heads - which they feel imparts the best characteristics of both types of oak on a wine.
