Gatito Loco, Tinto

This is Rioja with all the armour of age and expectation stripped back to a state of innocence, energy and fruitfull, open - eyed wonder. We all love classic Rioja - there’s a reason why it’s one of the world’s most famous wine regions and that is born of a certain style of wine. This would be Rioja on the Crianza to Gran Reserva scale which stylistically we have come to expect as being somewhere on the oaky and robust spectrum.

But these guys have taken a less is more approach to their winemaking. A bit like how we are emerging from lockdown - bit less make up and hair, slightly looser clothes! The grapes are kept cool at every stage of their journey from picking through fermentation. This allows more fruity notes to flow out in advance of tannins. No oak is added at any stage. The resulting wine is laden with cherry, strawberry laces, blackberry and liquorice. Above all though it is light in style but still has plenty of energy and verve. A great all-round drinker.