Tobelos Crianza, Rioja 2015

The secret to making a good Rioja really great is to get the balance right. You’ll get a dollop of ripe fruit, you’ll get some lovely, toasty oak but you need the freshness of acidity too. Up in the north of Spain in the Rioja Alta region is the town of Briñas which is just a bit higher than surrounding settlements, and the town’s vineyards are a mite cooler. This lets the grapes ripen a little more slowly and, hey presto, you get a bit of a fresher, cleaner taste to the wine. Keep all this in harmony, and the flavour in your mouth is simply delicious… and just what a glass of good Rioja needs to be. Pair it with juicy lamb chops, or any good red meat dish, and enjoy!