Altos R Pigeage Tempranillo 2018

Winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua may have perfected his craft at Bordeaux’s famed Château Haut Brion, but he has Rioja in his blood (it is his mother’s homeland, after all). Alongside talented head winemaker Amaia Amestoy, he makes brilliant wines at his highly awarded Altos de Rioja estate.

Pigeage is Altos’ flagship red, crafted with grapes from a plot of 80-year-old Tempranillo and Graciano vines in the premium district of Rioja Alavesa. These miserly old vines yield tiny grapes that deliver a sweet, pure intensity.

To showcase all that flavor character and draw out deep color with velvety texture, Amaia employed the pigeage technique in the cellar (a traditional Burgundian method of fermenting in open vats and gently plunging skins, repeatedly). After treating the wine to luxurious aging in French oak barrels, the quality-obsessed Amaia and Jean-Marc were happy and released this gem to unbelievable acclaim.

We’ve counted 14 gold medals so far—including a ‘Great Gold’—plus several 90+ point scores from leading critics. Here’s James Suckling’s take: “Blackberry, dried herb, vanilla, sweet tobacco and spice box on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, chalky tannins, fresh acidity and a creamy, velvety texture. Flavorful, rich and concentrated with delicious spice notes.”

With acclaim like this, we can’t promise that our limited stocks will last. You know what you need to do.