Isaac Fernandez Seleccion Acentor Maturana Tinta Rioja - 2020 (750ml)

Maturana Tinta is a grape variety indigenous to Rioja, but it was almost lost when it fell out of fashion and has been brought back by conservationists believing it still has a role to play in the region. I have never tasted a bottling of Rioja made with this grape in the blend, let alone one made entirely from the varietal, but I was quite impressed. It is lower octane than the other two Acentor Rioja bottlings, coming in at 13.5 percent alcohol and offering up a decidedly black fruity bouquet of dark berries, cassis, espresso, a nice touch of meatiness, cigar smoke, chalky soil tones, fresh herb tones and a touch of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with fine soil signature, a good core of fruit, ripe, buried tannins and a long, complex and very nicely balanced finish. This is quite uniquely styled for Rioja and a superb bottle in the making. Like all the other Acentor Rioja bottlings, this is under twenty dollars per bottle and an absolute steal! 2028-2065. John Gilman View from the Cellar- Issue #103 January/February 2023.
Schneider's of Capitol Hill - 91+ points