Arzuaga Crianza 2020

Arzuaga Crianza, Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2020  

Grapes: 90% Tempranillo, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, hand-picked fruit, optical selection table, fermentation in stainless steel tanks and 16 months' ageing in oak barrels (70% French & 30% American).

The Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties used to make this wine come from the oldest part of our La Planta estate in the La Maquinilla vineyard. The vines are grown at an altitude of 911 metres (2,989 feet) in chalky clay soil with the limestone bedrock just one metre below the surface. 20% of the grapes coming from hundred-year-old vineyards with pebble and sandy soils, in the area of the province of Burgos.

Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, established by Florentino Arzuaga in the early 1990s, is based in the town of Quintanilla de Onésimo, Valladolid, in Castilla y Leon, north-western Spain and is a neighbour to the famous Vega Sicilia vineyards.

Colour: Cherry with violet hues.

Aroma: Highly aromatic, powerful nose with a predominance of ripe red fruits, spice and balsamic notes, with a roasted finish.

Palate: Great volume on the palate, providing a soft sensation and sweetness of fruit that lasts over time.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Inky dark purple core and hue. Pure and fragrant nose offering blackberry, plum, ginger and clove with mild oak notes. Good density of fruit in a medium body with ripe tannin, savoury dark fruit with a wild herbal spiciness, fresh acidity and long pure finish."

91/100 points, Andreas Larsson, TASTED, December 2022

"Alluring herbal, oaky and spicy aromas. Very fresh on the palate with well-integrated alcohol and tannins and a long, herbal finish. A delightful wine!"

90/100 points (Silver), Decanter World Wine Awards, January 2023

Food Pairing: Ideal accompaniment for red meat, white meat, large game and feathered game, roasted or in sauce. Blue fish and soft cheeses.