Country: Spain Region: Rioja Varietal: 95% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo Vintage: 2016 Colour: Red Style: Dry Producer: Bodegas LAN Description: Founded in 1972, Bodegas LAN lies in the heart of Rioja Alta and boasts one of the most spectacular single-vineyard sites in the region: Viña Lanciano. The name LAN comes from the initials of the three provinces of the Rioja Designation of Origin: Logroño, Álava and Navarra. María Barúa has been the head winemaker and technical director since 2002, and brings both scientific expertise (with an academic background in chemistry in addition to her oenology degree) and local knowledge (having been born and raised in Rioja). Together with her young and energetic team, María focuses on using the latest advances in winemaking to ‘express the virtues of the land’. The 2016 vintage in Rioja began with a cold winter, followed by a cool and rainy spring which replenished soil water reserves and sustained the vines through the hot and dry summer that followed. Good climatic conditions during the last stages of ripening provided very healthy grapes with an excellent balance between intensity of flavour and acidity. Harvest was around one week later than usual and the berries were small, due to the lack of rainfall during the summer, this resulted in wines with extraordinary depth of colour. Tasting Note: This wine is intense garnet in colour. Aromas of juicy strawberries, cherries and blackberries are married with notes of vanilla and spices from oak ageing and subtle earthy hints from bottle age. The palate is exceptionally well-structured, with velvety tannins and a vibrant acidity which carries the complex flavours onto the lingering finish. Food Matches: Casseroles / Lamb / Smoked Fish / Soft Cheese