Dominio del Challao 'Virna' Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2022

The note below from Gutierrez is spot on. We tried this recently and found it a throw-back to old-school Rioja, before the 'bigger is better' attitude swamped the consciousness of many producers (fuelled by a desire to chase Parker points). This wine is medium bodied, open and savoury, yet with ample fruit that is delivered in a mellow, medium-bodied frame. - Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.

The new village red 2022 Virna was produced with the grapes from the lower part of the Angelita vineyard that delivers more fruit-driven and approachable wines. It's a blend of 60% Tempranillo, 30% Garnacha and the rest Mazuelo, Viura, Garnacha Blanca and other rare varieties that fermented in open-top concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in 225- and 500-liter barrels for 10 months and another 10 months in concrete before bottling. The nose is quite impacting, expressive and open, with some exuberance, notes of orange peel and red berry fruit and notes of herbs that remind me of some wines from yesteryear. It has a medium-bodied palate but with a very fine thread and chalky tannins. In 2022 (and in 2023), they harvested earlier to control the ripeness and alcohol in the wines. It has a moderate 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.4, and it's balanced, fine boned and very approachable. 92 points, drink 2025-2029, Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate.