Tasting Notes: 

This wine is a tasty, modern Rioja that's smooth and fragrant, brimming with ripe berry fruit, spicy oak and delightfully earthy tannins. It's easy to drink on its own but works incredibly well with richer dishes. Clocking in a 14% abv this wine has a medium body and a smooth finish. 

This wine is mostly Tempranillo with a little bit of Grenache and Graciano in the blend as well.

Bodega Lanzaga Wines: 

The Bodega Lanzaga is headed up by Telmo Rodriguez who is one of Spain’s brightest winemaking talents. The aim is to rediscover the ‘true’ historic taste of Rioja that he believes can only be achieved from the best sites. “We respect the capacity of generations of vine growers who observed these places and recognised their value”. Telmo is a vocal advocate for the potential of Spanish wine, believing it should sit at the table with the best of Burgundy and Bordeaux.

The name 'Corriente' comes from a word used in Spain during the early 20th century to describe good, approachable everyday wines drunk by ordinary people, that reflect their region. This Rioja is the perfect reflection of that sentiment. Like all of Lanzaga's wines, this comes from old, organically-farmed bush vines in the village of Lanciega. 

Tempranillo: 

Tempranillo and Spain are virtually synonymous. It is the number one grape in the country and the 4th most planted varietal in the world. The name Tempranillo comes from the Spanish word Temprano, meaning early because it ripens earlier than most other red grapes native to Spain. Tempranillo wines are always a delicate balance of earth and fruit. The dominant flavors are typically cherry, dried fig, cedar, tobacco, and dill. Regional differences also play a role in the flavor profile. New world examples of Tempranillo tend to offer more fruit-forward flavors. While old world examples tend to have more earthy notes.

Basque Wines & The Basque Rioja

The Basque country is an autonomous community in Northern Spain. It sits on the extreme western end of Spain’s border with France. The region itself is bound by the Bay of Biscay to the north, the autonomous communities of Navarre to the east, La Rioja to the South, and Cantabria to the west. Winemaking is nothing new to the Basque, as with many parts of Spain vineyards in the Basque country have been tended since Roman times. 

Wine and perhaps more importantly wine and food is a huge part of the basque culture. So much so that they have the highest wine consumption of any part of Spain. And 80% of the wines that are produced here are consumed here. 

The other part of Basque Wine country is the Basque part of Rioja, specifically the Rioja Alavesa sub-region. This region accounts for 21% of the area of the Rioja DO. It is located on the southern tip of Basque country along the Camino de Santiago. Most of the vineyards in the Rioja Alavesa are situated at the foot of the Sierra de Toronto mountains. The soil here is poor and contains a high content of clay and limestone so because of this the vines are planted farther apart. 

Wines that are produced here have a fuller body and higher acidity than other Rioja Sub-regions. The primary varieties used in red wines of the area are Tempranillo and Graciano, while Viura grapes are used for the white wine production. In fact, most Rioja Alavesa wineries use tempranillo combined with small amounts of  the Viura grape to increase the color and acidity of the wines. 

Food & Wine Pairing: 

The wine seems built for meats like steak, lamb, or roasted vegetables. But with its ripe fruit and spice I think it would make an excellent BBQ wine. 

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