Telmo Rodriguez Las Beatas Tempranillo 2017

Las Beatas is a spectacular 1.9 hectare property into which Telmo and Pablo have invested tremendous time and energy: 15 years of renovative viticultural work took place before a single bottle was realised. Las Beatas is a 7th century place, unaltered through centuries - a historical field blend and the real taste of (a) Rioja. Telmo and Pablo see it as "a memory of Rioja from long ago, before the industrial Riojas of the 20th century, for which the process is more important than the origin". Here they have reinstated an antidote to the easy virtues of modern industrial plantings lower down by the river. In las Beatas, they set out to attempt a vineyard Grand Cru - a significant, emotional wine of place. According to the Consejo Regulador at the launch of the first Beatas, this is an "illegal", "experimental" vineyard. It's also the history of Rioja. Bluebells and violet, fennel, cherry blossom and fresh clay soil. It is very floral, very much of the soil, lovely and very delicate. Open, purple and electric. There's pomegranate in the violet, angelica, mountain air, and lots of space in a palate which is fine and clear, featuring very lovely delicate tannins. The brilliant, luminous fruit folds into astonishingly good natural structure, but really it is too good for mere words.

Country: Spain
Producer: Telmo Rodriguez
Region: Rioja