2020 Alma

The new red blend 2020 Alma Contador is going to be sold mostly through the négociants from Bordeaux. It was produced with grapes from three vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra at different altitudes and is a blend of Tempranillo with 8% Garnacha with limited yields because of mildew. It matured in new French barriques for 20 months. He wanted a more classical image and perhaps a more classical profile of wine. It's perfumed and floral, with notes of aromatic herbs, a little balsamic and quite showy, with very fine tannins and freshness, as he used more grapes from the higher-altitude zones. It's powerful and elegant, and in a way it reminds me of the style of the initial vintages of La Cueva de Contador; it's clean and elegant. It's 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.55. It's very young but still drinkable, as the quality of the tannins is very good. I think this is the one wine I'd buy from their portfolio if I could only buy one. It transported me to the wines from the early 2000s. 10,000 bottles produced.

Bodega Contador dates back 1995, when the oenologist and winegrower Benjamín Romeo bought a century-old cave under the castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but this is the first vintage of its new bottling Alma, from vines across three plots up to 70 years old. It certainly brings a signature Rioja feel along with it - rich, luscious, grilled vanilla bean, balsamic and sweet black cherry edging, all loaded up with cocoa bean, spiced red pepper, softly brushed leather, fully integrated tannins even after this short two year (by Rioja standards) ageing. 100% new French barrels from six coopers. A juicy, easy to recommend wine.