100% Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa, Spain.
SRP of $14 and available for as low as $12. Sample submitted for review.
From the winery:
"For almost half a century, Bodegas y Viñedos Labastida have been putting their extensive knowledge and experience into making quality wines. They continue this tradition, while also staying on top of the latest advances in vinification.
Established in 1964 by a group of local vine growers, the cooperative has currently 152 members. All of them apply their experience and know-how to obtain the best quality wines from their 1,330 acres of own vineyards planted with vines which are over 25 years old. With such immense terrain, it is one of the largest wineries in the La Rioja to control their production from the vine to the bottle. Nestled between the Sierra Cantabria mountains and the river Ebro, the climatic conditions of the winery’s surroundings are unique in Rioja, offering their vine growers the best conditions for cultivating high-quality grapes.
14.0% Alcohol"
Today's wine comes from Rioja Alavesa which is one of the three wine growing regions in Rioja and lies in the Basque Country of Spain which is an autonomous community in Northern Spain. It is similar to the autonomous community of Navarra in that each area has their own government and definitely their own culture. Luckily for us, that culture includes delicious wine.
The 2009 Castillo Labastida Crianza begins with nice, intriguing aromas of dark fruit plus a little dark chocolate. Tasting this medium-bodied wine reveals lots of juicy red berry fruit, a little licorice and spice, but mostly just lots of tasty juicy fruit. The spice is more pronounced and a bit oaky on the finish which also shows a bit of heat and a touch of chocolate and vanilla. A bargain from Basque Country!
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.0
