Finca La Emperatriz Tinto 2019

Another very impressive release from this Baños de Rioja estate, Eduardo Hernáiz's red is a seamless blend of Tempranillo with 20% Garnacha and 5% Viura from one of the cooler spots in the region. Plusher than the 2018, but still a refined style, with notes of graphite and iodine, stylish 70% new French and American oak, red cherry and raspberry fruit and good underlying grip. 2025-32

Classified as Viñedo Singular, the new official single-vineyard category, the 2019 Finca la Emperatriz Tinto is a modern, clean and generously oaked blend of 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% Viura from vines that have been worked organically since 2020, for which they hope to get certification with the 2023 harvest. They aim for longevity and elegance, going back to the fine wines from yesteryear—serious, intense and long. The varieties were picked and fermented together in concrete, and the wine matured in 60% new French oak and 40% used American oak for 18 months. It was bottled with 14.7% alcohol, good freshness and balance. It's a classical modern Rioja that is ripe and generously oaked, powerful but balanced, with elegance and concentration, reflecting a very complete year in the zone. Give it some more time to integrate the oak and polish the tannins a bit. 31,870 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in June 2021.

A complex and very well-structured Rioja full of minty dark berries, blue fruit, chocolate, cedar, graphite, peppercorns and spices. The tight and full-bodied palate shows excellent concentration framed by complete, fine-grained tannins. Long and very youthful. A bit too young now. Better from 2025. (Zekun Shuai)