Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Viña Albina Gran Reserva 2018 (750ml) *

Gran Reserva is the patient tier of Rioja, a wine held back for years in oak and bottle before release, and this 2018 from Bodegas Riojanas carries that lineage. Bottled under the Viña Albina label, it comes from the traditional heart of northern Spain, where extended aging is meant to trade primary fruit for savory complexity.

The balance here is the first thing to notice, elegant and fresh rather than heavy, with the oak woven cleanly into a core of dark fruit. There's a balsamic thread of dried oregano and sage, edged with smoky tobacco and a salty note of licorice. Underneath sit broodier tones of coffee bean and dark chocolate, all of it lifted by a zesty flash of blood orange that keeps the wine detailed and lively.