Bodegas Roda Roda I 2016

A perfumed nose of plum, smoke, leather, dried flowers and cedar. Full-bodied with firm, fine tannins and lively acidity. So balanced and layered with a rich yet fresh feel. Long, spiced and delicious.

From a warm year, officially rated as 'very good', this is a fresh and well-balanced Rioja. Appealing deep black fruit aromatics, with blueberry and black spices plus a fresh edge of cherry. A dash of Graciano (4%) adds freshness to the elegant palate, which has fine, lively tannins and a core of poised cassis fruit. Brighter red fruit notes of cherry and plum add interest, along with warming spice that lingers on the finish. Deftly oaked In 50% new barrels and 50% second use, for 16 months, with a further 20 months in bottle. Decant if you are drinking it now, but will also keep.

The 2016 Roda I, a red blend of Tempranillo and 4% Graciano, feels like a lighter vintage than the 2015 when tasted side by side. It has a combination of red and black fruit, fine spices and quality wood, quite integrated and without any excess. The wines are nicely crafted and polished and, in this case, given four years of bottle aging before it's sold, so it's even more polished.

Vivid ruby-red. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, cherry preserves, vanilla and potpourri, with a smoky mineral quality adding vibrancy. Sappy, seamless and broad on the palate, offering alluringly, concentrated sweet blackberry, cherry-cola, spicecake and violet pastille flavors and a touch of mocha. Shows impressive persistence on the supple, floral- and spice-driven finish, which is framed by fine-grained tannins that sneak in slowly.