Rioja With a Conscience (and Plenty of Swagger)

Tastes Like: Blackberries. Blackcurrant. Ripe Cherry. Black Pepper. Dark Chocolate. Vanilla. Cloves.

Organic Rioja with its boots on. Rich, generous and packed with dark-fruit flavour, this is the sort of red that brings a little drama to the dinner table without getting too serious about itself. Think juicy berries, warming spice and a lovely hit of oak — classic Rioja, with a modern, organic twist.

Made by Bodegas LAN in Rioja, Spain, this is 100% Tempranillo from the organically farmed Mantible Ecológico parcel within the estate’s celebrated Viña Lanciano vineyard. Sitting around 400 metres above sea level beside a meander of the River Ebro, the vineyard’s sandy-loam soils and pebbles provide the setting for this characterful expression of Rioja.

The grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted before fermenting with indigenous yeasts. The wine then spends at least 18 months ageing in new French oak barrels, adding layers of spice and structure while allowing the ripe fruit to shine through.

In the glass, expect blackberry and blackcurrant alongside ripe red fruit, with black pepper, dark chocolate, vanilla and clove bringing plenty of depth. Full-bodied and powerful, but with a smooth, rounded finish that keeps everything in balance. The kind of bottle that makes a slow-cooked dinner feel like a very good decision.

Get it alongside grilled steak, slow-braised beef, roast lamb or a wedge of properly mature cheese. Big flavours deserve a big red.

Spain - 2021 - 14% - 750ml

Organic - Vegan