Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España - Rioja Real de Asúa 2020

The second launch on the Bordeaux market of this “more modern” wine from the long-established Spanish winery—as stated by Victor Urrutia, CEO of CVNE and a member of the family’s fifth generation—is made from the 2.37-hectare plot of 30-year-old Tempranillo grapes known as Carromaza, in the village of Villalba, at an elevation of 700 meters in the Rioja Alta. From the fresh 2020 vintage, this wine is intensely fragrant and almost heady on the nose: cooked plums, strawberries, and sweet spices like anise, cinnamon, and cloves. Supple and so smooth, yet with a crumpled-velvet quality that lends it body and texture. The palate is immediately satisfying, with delicate yet enveloping tannins that provide structure and support without overwhelming the crisp, ripe, and fleshy fruit. The acidity is high and perfectly balances the underlying warm elements. Rich, sumptuous, and seductive, yet balanced and nuanced—everything is well-defined, and the palate is deliciously juicy on the mid-palate. Luminous, brilliant, lively, and thoroughly easy to drink. Fermented with wild yeasts. Aged for 12 months in new and one-year-old French oak barrels. pH 3.6. IPT 95. 2025–2040

The 2020 Real de Asúa is a wine that underwent a change in 2018 when it began to be produced exclusively from Tempranillo grapes grown in the Carromaza vineyard in the village of Villalba. The 2020 growing season was hot, and the grapes were harvested two weeks earlier than in 2019. The grapes are harvested in 300-kilo crates and fermented—after cold soaking—in small oak vats with native yeasts. Malolactic fermentation took place in French oak barrels, and the wine was aged for 12 months in new and second-use barriques. This wine is thoroughly classic, balanced, and serious. The nose is subtle, elegant, and quite impressive, with herbal notes and a hint of mustard; it is fresh and far exceeds expectations for a vintage like 2020. Right now, I prefer it to the 2021. 2026–2033

This wine is exceptionally pure and crisp, with aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, violet, and orange peel. It is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Polished, bright, lively, and agile. The tannins are velvety, with wonderful length and finesse. It is also very flavorful. Allow it to age for three to four years in the bottle.