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Red dry
Áster El Espino 2021 is a modern style wine that combines concentration with freshness, elegance with a rather restrained oak character.
The aroma reveals nuances of forest berries, blackcurrants, cranberries, plums, sweet spices, licorice, and ground coffee. The wine is deep, but maintains lightness and good balance. The tannins are soft and quite fine. The aftertaste is long, fruity, and lightly spicy.
The grapes are hand-picked. Before fermentation, cold maceration is performed to preserve fruitiness and color. After alcoholic fermentation:
50% of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in metal tanks;
50% in used French oak barrels.
The wine is then aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, of which about 20% are new.
2021 The Ribera del Duero vintage was officially rated “Excelente.” A dry and hot summer and moderate water stress helped to concentrate the flavors of the berries; the producer describes the vintage as intense, aromatically complex, and with good ripening potential.
Serving temperature: around 16–18 °C. Recommended with roast duck, veal, Iberico pork, mushroom dishes, lighter lamb dishes.
Fresh blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and black pepper with cocoa powder and fine spices. Perfumed and fruit-expressive yet deep. Very soft-spoken oak here. Really juicy and precise on the palate with fine, chalky tannins. Shows tension and length. Drink or hold.
Bodegas La Rioja Alta is undoubtedly a representative of old Rioja, exceptionally valuing and cultivating the region's traditional winemaking methods. Their “Gran Reserva” wine is aged for no less than six years in barrel and a further two years in bottle before reaching the consumer, embodying patience and mastery. The high-altitude vineyards of La Rioja Alta, with their unique conditions, lend a subtlety to the wines, sometimes even reminiscent of Burgundy’s ‘Pinot Noir’. While the La Rioja Alta group also includes wineries in Galicia (Rias Baixas) and Ribera del Duero (Burgos), it is their traditional Rioja style that remains their hallmark.
Wine Style
La Rioja Alta wines are characterized by elegance, complexity, and longevity. They reflect the harmony between Rioja terroir and traditional winemaking.
Prestigious Vineyards
La Rioja Alta manages high-altitude vineyards in the Rioja Alta region:
These unique vineyard characteristics and meticulous work in the vineyard are the foundation for the distinctive character of La Rioja Alta wines.
Aging and Drinking Window
La Rioja Alta wines are crafted for slow enjoyment. The long aging process in oak barrels and bottles imparts exceptional complexity and harmony. While these wines can be enjoyed in their youth, their true potential unfolds after many years of bottle aging. They are wines valued for their longevity and ability to improve over time.
