Rioja Viña El Pison, Bodegas Artadi 1998

The 1998 El Pison is made from a Tempranillo vineyard planted in 1945, and aged 18-24 months in new French oak, from yields of only 22 hectoliters per hectare. It offers a deep ruby/purple colour and a glorious nose of raspberry jam intermixed with cherries and smoky new oak. As the wine sits in the glass, more complex, floral aromas with a graphite-like character emerge. A sexy, elegant, medium to full-bodied, beautifully made wine transcends the Rioja appellation with a singular style and character. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.