Weine, ES La Rioja:

92/100 Punkte Vinous Sep 2014
(all tempranillo; aged in French oak for 30 months): Inky ruby. Cassis, blackberry, licorice and dark chocolate aromas are complicated by notes of vanilla, cracked pepper and woodsmoke. Juicy, penetrating and quite primary, offering sweet dark berry, mocha and black pepper flavors sharpened by peppery spices and smoky minerals. Shows very good concentration with no excess weight and finishes sweet, gently tannic and long, leaving a sexy berry compote note behind.

94/100 Punkte Robert Parker, May 2016
There is a white produced with Viura grapes that is only produced in cold vintages, which is exactly what the name of the 2013 Añadas Frías means. The grapes are sourced from a 1.5 hectare plot at 600 meters altitude of clay and limestone soils. It fermented in new 500-liter French oak barrels. The analytical data show figures more common in Chablis than in Rioja; the wine has a pH below three and there's no natural way the wine goes through malolactic. The nose showed intense iodine aromas and diesel-like notes, highly mineral, with a notable absence of fruit and oak. The palate is also soil-driven, with very chalky tannins and effervescent, citrusy acidity. It has a tremendously tasty finish, almost salty. This is one of those whites that feels like it was produced with stones rather than grapes. This should age in bottle forever. 1,476 bottles produced and filled in March 2015. This wine has only been released in 2007, 2010 and 2013, really

90/100 Punkte James Suckling August 2018
The full, plum-cake nose and the supple and slightly sweet palate make this easy to drink, but there is some structure behind all that and the finish is well balanced and quite long.

92/100 Punkte Guía Peñín 2019

97/100 Punkte Falstaff, Oktober 2018
Komplexes Bukett mit Noten von dunklen Beeren, Pflaume, dazu etwas Grafit und ein Hauch Trüffel. Am Gaumen dicht gewobene Struktur, viel Kraft und Saft, mineralische und balsamische Noten. Ein edler, komplexer Tropfen aus über 80-jährigen Reben.

93/100 Punkte Robert Parker Apr 2015
The oak is a little more obvious in the 2012 Pujanza Cisma than in the Norte. This is also 100% Tempranillo from a single vineyard, a 0.8 hectare plot they call Finca Valcabada which was planted in 1925 and is located at 600 meters altitude. The wine fermented in French oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barriques for 22 months. The nose seems less nuanced than the Norte, with the oak taking the lead role and perhaps it will develop in bottle but today it does not have those flowery tones of the Norte. The palate is compact and medium to full-bodied with abundant fine-grained tannins that are right now a little stiff. It ends quite dry and would need a little more time in bottle to harmonize. This is a great, modern Rioja. Mind the price tag, though. 1'200 bottles.

93/100 Guía Peñín 2017

92/100 Punkte Robert Parker August 2016
The eponymous 2014 Exopto has an unusual blend, as it's mostly Graciano with 30% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha. Sometimes Graciano does not ripen properly in cool vintages, so this cuvée was not produced in 2013. In 2014 they did a green harvest and lowered the yields to ensure proper ripening, even in a late and cooler vintage. It fermented in 1,500-liter oak vats with malolactic in barrel the following spring. The upbringing was in 50% new French oak barrels and lasted 18 months, the first six of which with the fine lees, which were not stirred. They managed a good ripening, harvesting quite late into early October. This wine mixes grapes from the warmer and cooler zones of Rioja, so it mixes the characters with focus in the Graciano. It is balsamic and aromatic, with aromas of peppercorns and a core of black fruit. The palate is serious, with depth and silkiness, as well as polished tannins; it is ready for a long life ahead. It could be d

93/100 Guía Peñín 2017

92/100 Punkte Robert Parker August 2016
The eponymous 2014 Exopto has an unusual blend, as it's mostly Graciano with 30% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha. Sometimes Graciano does not ripen properly in cool vintages, so this cuvée was not produced in 2013. In 2014 they did a green harvest and lowered the yields to ensure proper ripening, even in a late and cooler vintage. It fermented in 1,500-liter oak vats with malolactic in barrel the following spring. The upbringing was in 50% new French oak barrels and lasted 18 months, the first six of which with the fine lees, which were not stirred. They managed a good ripening, harvesting quite late into early October. This wine mixes grapes from the warmer and cooler zones of Rioja, so it mixes the characters with focus in the Graciano. It is balsamic and aromatic, with aromas of peppercorns and a core of black fruit. The palate is serious, with depth and silkiness, as well as polished tannins; it is ready for a long life ahead. It could be

92/100 Punkte Guía Peñín 2018

93/100 Punkte Robert Parker Feb 2018
The eponymous red 2015 Exopto is an atypical blend of 70% Graciano from the south, a grape that can keep very good acidity and ripens nicely in warmer vintages (like 2015) and 30% Tempranillo from old vines. In previous vintages, the wine had less Graciano and some 10% Garnacha, but they didn't like what the Garnacha did to the blend in 2015, so they left it out for the first time ever. It fermented in 1,500-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts, daily pigéage and malolactic in barrel in the spring. The wine matured in 225- and 500-liter oak casks, and they have reduced the new oak to some 30%. Even though they have reduced the new oak and gone for larger volumes, it's still a little marked by the oak and might need some more time in bottle to finish integrating, because there is very nice stuffing here. It has very healthy acidity that should help it develop nicely in bottle. This is elegant and open, less stressed by tannins, within the power

92/100 Punkte Guía Peñín 2018

93/100 Punkte Robert Parker Feb 2018
The eponymous red 2015 Exopto is an atypical blend of 70% Graciano from the south, a grape that can keep very good acidity and ripens nicely in warmer vintages (like 2015) and 30% Tempranillo from old vines. In previous vintages, the wine had less Graciano and some 10% Garnacha, but they didn't like what the Garnacha did to the blend in 2015, so they left it out for the first time ever. It fermented in 1,500-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts, daily pigéage and malolactic in barrel in the spring. The wine matured in 225- and 500-liter oak casks, and they have reduced the new oak to some 30%. Even though they have reduced the new oak and gone for larger volumes, it's still a little marked by the oak and might need some more time in bottle to finish integrating, because there is very nice stuffing here. It has very healthy acidity that should help it develop nicely in bottle. This is elegant and open, less stressed by tannins, within the power

90/100 Punkte Guía Peñín 2018

91+/100 Punkte Robert Parker Feb 2018
The one white (so far) is the 2015 Horizonte de Exopto Blanco, produced with grapes from the scattered white vines intermixed with the reds in the old vineyards they work in Ábalos (12 different plots), usually in the poorer soils to balance yields. It's produced in a slightly oxidative way with a majority of Viura, 10% Garnacha Blanca and 5% Malvasía Riojana along with some other white varieties, all fermented together. Fermentation started in stainless steel without added yeasts and finished in barriques with an élevage of 12 months in contact with the lees, which were stirred during the first six months in barrel. There are some citrus and caramel aromas with good ripeness, and in a warmer and more Mediterranean vintage like 2015, it goes through malolactic, so the style of cooler years (2013, 2014, 2016) and warmer years is different. Here, there is more volume and more texture, but to keep the austerity of the soils, they look for freshne

91/100 Punkte Vinous, May 2017
(fermented and aged on its lees for a year in neutral French oak barrels) Light bright gold. Ripe tangerine, pear, tarragon and toasty lees on the nose, lifted by a hint of minerality. Dry and focused on the palate, offering concentrated orchard and citrus fruit, honey and buttered toast flavors and a subtle touch of honeysuckle. Closes smoky, tight and long, leaving a suave floral note behind.

92/100 Punkte Robert Parker Feb 2018
The red 2015 Horizonte de Exopto is a traditional blend of Tempranillo with 10% each Garnacha and Graciano, all from the village of Ábalos, including the Garnacha that previously was sourced from Rioja Baja. The aim is to show the character of the Sonsierra with freshness, balance, elegance and length provided by the limestone soils. It fermented in concrete vats with indigenous yeasts, with destemmed and lightly crushed grapes, and a post-fermentation maceration of one week. It matured 50/50 in 600-liter demi-muids and 225-liter barriques, 20% of them new, for 12 months. It's very perfumed, expressive, open, long and complete, with good ripeness but without any excess. There is good definition, with fine tannins on the palate and better-integrated oak than some years ago. This is sourced from the same vineyards as the white, which is why the wines share the same name. 10,000 bottles were filled in November 2016.

93/100 Punkte James Suckling July 2017
Sweet black fruit and fine vanilla from the oak. Surprisingly plush for this category in spite of the serious tannins. Long and quite polished finish. Drinking well now.

94/100 Punkte James Suckling August 2018
Offers some riper fruits, in the prune and plum-paste zone, with a hint of black tea and some tarry flourishes. The palate has cool, sleek flavors of dark-fruit and licorice, supple tannins and a long, smooth finish. Seamless. Drink or hold.

92/100 Punkte Guía Peñín 2019

92/100 Punkte James Suckling, December 2016
A deep and beautiful nose of ripe strawberries and hints of dried flowers and soft spices. Medium-bodied with medium, juicy and soft tannins and a long, fresh and fruity finish. Drink now.

91/100 Punkte Vinous Feb 2019
Vivid ruby. Aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, pipe tobacco and cedary oak develop a smoky element as the wine stretches out. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering lively cherry and boysenberry flavors and subtle licorice and spice nuances. Finishes on a chewy note, delivering sneaky tannins, a lingering suggestion of dark chocolate and strong persistence.

91/100 Punkte Vinous Feb 2019
Vivid ruby. Aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, pipe tobacco and cedary oak develop a smoky element as the wine stretches out. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering lively cherry and boysenberry flavors and subtle licorice and spice nuances. Finishes on a chewy note, delivering sneaky tannins, a lingering suggestion of dark chocolate and strong persistence.

93/100 Punkte Guía Peñín 2019

93/100 Punkte Vinous Feb 2019
Brilliant ruby-red. An exotically perfumed, expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, cherry liqueur, vanilla and pipe tobacco, energized by a smoky mineral overtone. Sweet and seamless on the palate, offering sweet, concentrated boysenberry, spicecake and mocha flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet energetic in style, displaying excellent finishing clarity, harmonious tannins and a lingering licorice note.

91/100 Punkte Robert Parker Feb 2018
The new white in the portfolio is the 2016 NAHI, a blend from five very small plots of vines over 80 years old in the village of Villabuena de Álava. The white grapes are kept separate (Viura, Malvasía and other old varieties like Calagraño or Rojal) and fermented very slowly. The grapes are destemmed and pressed, and the juice put to ferment in an open-top barrel. It has a smoky touch with complexity, round with volume and good persistence.