Campillo Gran Reserve 2012, Rioja

2012 has not fully developed- still a lot of room to go. There is a full-spectrum of the nose: nuanced and developed reds are medium-bodied or full-bodied wines in which maturation has created notes of leather, stable, oak and herbs. These earthy flavours and aromas become more pronounced as the wine matures and develops. Oak maturation also adds spicy and vanilla notes.

There are polished tannin, juicy, broad, with an excellent structure and 14% ABV. This bodied wine embodied both modern(in new Allier oak, elegant, lean alcohol, silky) and classic styles(tertiary tones, red fruit profile) of Rioja.

This blend of 90 per cent Tempranillo and 10 per cent Graciano comes from a single parcel in Rioja Alavesa, ‘Villa Lucia’, planted at an altitude of 650 meters. Part of the Faustino Group, Bodegas Campillo is arguably the most spectacular winery on view from the ancient walls at the hilltop of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa. In 1990, Julio Faustino Martínez fulfilled his dream of building a Riojan 'château' surrounded by vineyards. No expense spared in its construction: natural stone facade, a porch with semicircular arches, wood and masonry corbels, gothic-style stone vaults. The grapes used come from centuries-old vines with little yield, which allows a high concentration of aroma and flavours in each of the grains. The harvest is carried out with the utmost care, using small boxes to damage the harvested grapes. Upon entering the winery, the most appropriate bunches selected and used for winemaking. The wine is aged in new French Allier barrels for 30 months.

Impressive scores, such as JS93.