Bodegas Lanzaga (Telmo Rodríguez) - Rioja "Las Beatas" 2021 (750ml)
Price: $379.99
| Producer | Bodegas Lanzaga (Telmo Rodríguez) |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Varietal | Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 204407 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Bodegas Lanzaga (Telmo Rodríguez) Description
Telmo Rodríguez founded Bodega Lanzaga in 1998 and opened his winery in 2009 in the village of Lanciego, located in the subzone of Rioja Alavesa. He saw incredible potential in the area, but, it’s worth pointing out that before the establishment of the large firms in the 1850s, Rioja Alavesa was historically defined not by commercial interests but by individual grower-makers, a mantle Telmo proudly takes on.
At the heart of Bodega Lanzaga is its connection to history and place, working only with head-trained, old-vine, and organically-farmed vineyards in and around the villages of Lanciego (population: 650) and Labastida (population: 1,500). Telmo’s methods are at once ancient and innovative; by returning to an old style of farming and winemaking, he’s pushing forward winemaking in Rioja. The irony isn’t lost on him; as Telmo puts it: “We dream of making the best Rioja wine of the 18th century.”
"Telmo Rodríguez and his partner, Pablo Eguzkiza, are among the clearest thinkers shaping the future of Rioja. Through Lanzaga, Cosecheros de Labastida and Granja Remelluri, the pair offers a vision of Rioja grounded in a deep sense of place. Their reds display finely judged aging and extraction, reflecting a philosophy that filters the present through the lens of the past. They aim to recapture the character of the wines made before the devastation of phylloxera. Among their many site-specific interpretations, the restorations of Las Beatas and Tabúerniga stand out. Rodríguez and Eguzkiza’s latest project, Cosecheros de Labastida, highlights individual grower perspectives, with each label bearing a unique name and style. Profits are shared, and the concept is clear: to return creative agency to today’s harvesters, echoing the spirit of past generations." - Vinous Media
James Suckling: 100 Points
The embryonic Las Beatas this year is, at this moment, a delightful exuberance of violets and a variety of other flowers, as if you had stepped into a florist's. But the complexity increases as you keep sniffing, introducing rose petals, lavender, cochineal, bergamot, cassis, cedar, white pepper and blueberries. Then minerality comes through as well. A combination of chopped violets, dark cherries, blue fruit and pepper unwind on the palate, with firm, filigree tannins. Really long and peppery finish. Impressive and unique identity to this, making it an unforgettable experience. Already drinkable now, but will hold well over the next 20 years.
Wine Advocate: 100 Points
It's always a very exciting moment when tasting a new vintage of what has quickly become one of the icons from Rioja, especially when it's a great year. The 2021 Las Beatas is super elegant, very shy in the beginning (it was very cold too), subtle, elegant, insinuating and floral, developing notes of orange peel with time in the glass, and it has stunning balance and harmony. It's a field blend of eight or nine local varieties fermented with indigenous yeasts in 3,000-liter open-top oak vats and matured in 1,200-liter foudres for 14 to 16 months. The mouthfeel is silky, elegant, super balanced with very elegant tannins, harmonious, seamless, precise, clean and symmetric. Stunning.
Vinous: 99 Points
The 2021 Las Beatas comes from a restored old-vine parcel in Labastida, Rioja Alavesa and was aged for 14 to 16 months in 1,200-liter foudres. Pale purple in hue-a telltale sign that white varieties are part of the blend-it opens with an intense aromatic profile of dried and fresh flowers, delicate balsamic herbs and a backdrop of sour cherry and red fruit. The palate is refined and layered. It's smooth, juicy and ethereal in texture, with a subtly compact core and fine-grained tannins. Nuanced and expressive, its unpolished edges enhances its authenticity and individuality. This is a true expression of site and one of Rioja's most distinctive field blends.
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