Since 2014, husband-and-wife team Oscar Alegre — who has worked with legends such as Álvaro Palacios and Telmo Rodríguez, and is an authority on Rioja wine history — and Eva Valgañón, from a family of top growers whose fruit has graced the region’s most famous labels, have set out to revive an even older Rioja tradition. From small, high-altitude plots below the Obarenes Mountains in the far west of Rioja, they follow the ways of the pre-phylloxera era: vine-by-vine attention, stems in the ferment, and shorter ageing in large, neutral barrels. Their work offers a taste of Rioja’s 1,000+ year viticultural heritage — a flavour of the region before “traditional Rioja” as we now know it even existed.
The 2022 Tinto blends 75 % tempranillo, 20 % garnacha and 5 % viura from these cooler sites.
Alegre Valgañón Tinto 2022 (Alegre Valgañón)
Deep, dark cherry colour in the glass. On the nose it is vibrant and expressive, with boysenberry, blackberry and cassis layered over hints of musk and suede, and a subtle stony note. The palate brings a flood of ripe berries carried by a slate-like texture, refined yet approachable, leading to a long finish with a gentle echo of coffee and a touch of warmth that frames the fruit. And just as the label suggests — “Sírvase con cariño” — this is a wine to be poured with care and shared with love.
Price: Medium