C.V.N.E. Rioja Ecologico 2020

I hoped that I would find a great value here, but there is one detail which makes it less enjoyable – at least for now.

It screams grenache on the nose, oozing stewed strawberries and warm climate ripeness. Loosely knit and soft on the palate, this is surely not an acid-adjusted wine. It’s tannin that adds structure instead, just like in Rhone reds, but these are very different tannins, coarse and unintegrated, making the finish drying and short. The aromatics are pretty but it’s a rustic wine, lacking refinement and drinkability. Hold for a few years. 60% garnacha, 30% tempranillo, 10% graciano. 84 points. 8-10€, stockist is vinatis.com and many more.