“The wines of Rioja Alta are refined wines, with a great tannic structure and a persistent finish.” – Wine Spectator
A pleasant place, an excellent meal, and then comes the choice of wine: one of my friends picks a Spanish one, which delights me.
A Rioja — more precisely, a Rioja Alta.
The Miguel Merino estate was founded in 1994 and is located in the village of Briones. The vineyard covers around 25 hectares and is planted mainly with Tempranillo, with a few plots of Graciano and Viura for the white wines.
Miguel Merino’s red wines are crafted with care and aged in French and American oak barrels for periods of up to 24 months.
Let’s taste this wine!
The nose is woody and spicy, on aromas of tobacco. It doesn’t reveal itself easily and I struggle to make out anything else. I’m expecting powerful tannins.
This 2017 is out of the ordinary, disconcerting — I lose my palate over it, I can’t break this wine down, and I have to admit I’m lost. It’s a strong wine that will, I think, leave you as it left me: particularly frustrated, lost in its complexity.
Miguel Merino has won! He’s won the bet of making a wine that’s good, powerful, and that will teach you a fine lesson in humility.
At under 30 euros, you’ll need to give it a fine plate of meat to do justice to that balance. A wonderful discovery!
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