2023 Telmo Rodriguez, `Corriente` Rioja - Liberty

Telmo Rodriguez is one of the great winemakers who has had an outsized influence on the world of Spanish wine. Thirty years ago, he and his partner, Pablo Eguzkiza, set out on a winemaking odyssey to rediscover Spain’s lost vinous heritage. Championing Spain's forgotten zones, outmoded classifications and near-extinct grape varieties, they scoured the country identifying exceptional sites in Cebreros, Rioja, Galicia, Malaga, Alicante and Ribera. Their winemaking has evolved to allow their work in the vineyards to shine through in the glass. Oak, the bane of far too many Spanish wines, is managed carefully, and cement is widely used to give the wines a vitality and definition that is rare in Spain.

Given Telmo’s family background at the historic Remelluri estate in Rioja Alavesa, it is ironic that he has also brought his modern revolution to Rioja. Telmo and Pablo founded Bodega Lanzaga in 1998. In parallel to their work here, Telmo and Pablo wanted to bring back a Corriente style of Rioja, one inspired by the old unofficial Rioja classification, where a Vino Corriente was for everyday use while a Vino Selecto was kept for special occasions.

The Corriente is a blend of estate and locally purchased grapes, primarily from growers around the Lanciego and Vinaspre villages in Rioja Alavesa, from vineyards planted 480-650 metres above sea level. These soils are all calcareous, mostly stony and with a high presence of sandstone and marl clays.

`Corriente` (common, everyday) Rioja is made with a blend of organic certified estate grapes and locally purchased fruit from growers that farm traditionally around the Lanciego and Vinaspre villages, in the Rioja Alavesa area. The bush trained vines grow at elevations ranging from 480 to 650 meters above sea level with various orientations on two main soil types. On the flat sandstone plateaus the vines grow on shallow, low fertility stony, calcareous and silty textured soils which inhibit vigour and concentrate the flavours, adding mineral notes. The soils on the gentle slopes are moderately deep, with less stone, a higher marl content and very fine texture which prolongs the ripening and adds freshness to the finished wine.

2023 was characterised by warm and dry climatic conditions until the final phase of the cycle, during which timely precipitation occurred, enhancing the final stage of ripening. Despite the drought and high temperatures, the resulting harvest was excellent in terms of both quantity and quality. The harvest began on September 14 and concluded on October 10.

The grapes were hand-picked and transported in small boxes to the winery where most of the fruit was destemmed. The three varieties were co-fermented with indigenous yeasts in 65 to 85 hectolitre cement tanks. The wine was then matured for 10-12 months in a combination of foudres and barriques of different ages and origins. The wine was fined and lightly filtered before bottling.

A deep cherry-red hue, clean and luminous in the glass. The nose is pure and expressive, offering ripe blackberry, cherry, and raspberry aromas, lifted by hints of dried herbs and a touch of pepper. On the palate, it’s fresh and concentrated, with fine-grained tannins and a lively core of red berry fruit. A subtle spiciness adds depth, leading to a smooth, persistent finish. Balanced and easy to enjoy, it’s a versatile wine that shines both on its own and with food.