Valenciso Rioja Reserva 2019

94 POINTS: Tim Atkin MW
93 POINTS: James Suckling
93 POINTS: Decanter

100% Tempranillo
Ollauri, Briones, Rodezno, Haro and Villalba estate vineyards in the north of Rioja Alta between 507 – 610 meters; clay-calcareous soils. Aged 19 months in French oak.

"The latest in a fine run of Reservas from Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso, this wellpriced Tempranillo combines components from Briones, Gimileo, Haro, Ollauri, Rodezno and Villalba. Youthful, structured and vigorous, it’s a compact, serious, age-worthy red that manages to sidestep the heat of the vintage. Inky and profound with dark plum and blackberry fruit and a balsamic undertone."
- Tim Atkin MW

"Ripe, racy aromas of dark plums, cherries, dark earth, walnut husks, dark mushrooms and graphite. Restrained and rather understated in style, with a medium body evenly packed with juicy fruit and fine-grained tannins. Firm and pretty long in the finish. Drink or hold."
 - James Suckling

“If you asked me to name just one producer from Rioja that you should buy, it would be Valenciso … A small treasure in the great sea of Rioja.” Jesús Barquin one of the most influential wine critics in Spain who co authored the Spanish wine bible The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwest Spain.

From humble beginnings, Valenciso has become one of the leading lights of Rioja’s small, yet growing band of terroir-focused producers. The operation began in 1998 when Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso rented a small warehouse with barely enough space to produce their first vintage of 2000 cases. Things have steadily progressed from there and no one who follows the area well would dispute the benchmark status that is now regularly afforded this producer.

ABV: 14.5%