Sierra Cantabria Finca El Bosque Rioja 2016

Cellar for 25 years or more. Decant for up to 2 hours before serving. This Rioja wine is a deep inky red, verging on black. Intoxicating scents of blackcurrant, wild blackberry and spice escape from the glass, mingling with roasted coffee and herbs. The Tempranillo was sourced from a 1.5-hectare estate-owned vineyard in the heart of Rioja, named El Bosque. This gorgeous red wine comes from Sierra Cantabria winery, which was founded by self-made vintner Guillermo Eguren. His family were grape growers by tradition, hailing from the region of San Vicente de La Sonsierra in the heart of Rioja, and tending vineyards in Rioja Alta and Alavesa since the 1870s. The Eguren family poured generations of wisdom into this wine, and it shows in the final, stunning result. Finca El Bosque is layered with flavours of pure cherry, blackberry, and cassis. It spent 18 months ageing in French and Romanian oak, which added a woody outline to the wines soft tannins. As it opens up, look for further details of minerality, warm spices and smoke. The finish is long and mouth-coating. This is a serious Rioja wine and can be kept in the cellar for some time. Enjoy it with lamb, Manchego cheese, or a hearty stew.