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.

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 Tempranillo and Mazuelo grapes are sourced from selected vineyards within the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa subzones from vines with an average age of 30-40 years. These vines produce lower yields of grapes with great concentration of flavour, which can stand up to extended periods of ageing in oak. The Sierra Cantabria mountains shelter the vineyards from the worst of the Atlantic weather systems and the vines thrive on a combination of calcareous and clay soils.

2017 was a challenging vintage in Rioja. A mild spring resulted in an early bud burst and severe frosts in April reduced yields in certain areas considerably. There was a drought during the summer, but the old vines were better adapted to cope in these conditions and fared better than younger vines. Some rainfall towards the end of August gave the vines the boost they needed for the final stages of ripening. The harvest began in mid-September and María was delighted with the quality of the grapes.

Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks at 28-30°C and lasted for around three weeks, during this time regular pump overs ensured optimum extraction of colour and flavour. Following fermentation, the wine was transferred to hybrid French and American oak barrels (American oak staves with French oak heads, around 25% of which were new) where it underwent malolactic fermentation and 20 months ageing. After bottling, the wine was aged for a further 18 months in the Bodegas LAN cellars before release.