Akutain - Rioja Alta Crianza 2020 (750ml)
Akutain Description
The story of Akutain begins over four decades ago, when Rioja’s storied estates were consistently producing Spain’s most highly sought-after wines. At this time, Juan Peñagaricano Akutain was an engineer in nearby Basque Country, working for a company that sold cooling units to wineries. Juan developed personal relationships with many Rioja bodegas and spent time tasting and learning in the region, most notably in the cellars of two of the great traditionalists of yesteryear – CVNE and La Rioja Alta. These experiences gave him the confidence to plant his first vineyard in 1975, located 5km west of Haro at Rioja’s epicenter. With a desire to work in the chateau style, Juan acquired a horse stable adjacent to the vineyard and converted it into a small bodega. Akutain has been making wine here in this small but highly functional bodega ever since, with the goal being “to control the whole process from vineyard to bottle.” They strive to produce wines in the traditional style set forth by the Grand Bodegas, but on a much smaller scale, and most importantly to singularly reflect the wind-swept, high elevation terruño of Rioja Alta.
The Akutain Crianza is comprised of mostly Tempranillo with Garnacha, is fermented in fiberglass vats with native yeasts, and then raised for 1 year and 9 months in used American oak barrels, with an additional year in the bottle before release - far exceeding the Rioja D.O.’s aging requirements for Crianza wines.
Wine Advocate: 92 Points
The very traditional 2020 Crianza was produced, like always, with 93% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha and 2% white Viura and was bottled at 13.73% alcohol, reflecting a warmer and more powerful year. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and fiberglass tanks for eight days and matured in used barrels (70% American, the rest French) for 24 months, a slow and much longer aging than required for the category. It has abundant spice, smoke and notes of cigar box and is still young, with wild berries and herbs and textbook traditional Rioja aromas, texture and flavors. It has a medium-bodied palate with a velvety texture and fine tannins.
