Rioja Review: Bodegas Dios Ares 2008 Crianza

One the nose, cardamon and lavender play with a nub of burnt vanilla, following a sweet hit of black fruit. The palate is exactly what a Crianza should be: balanced but exuberant. There are deep dark fruit flavors and chewy tannins along with floral notes and a finish that brightens into fresh strawberries and iron.

Bodegas Dios Ares is located in the Rioja Alta region, in the town of Laguardia. Having spent time working with the Wine School in that town, I must confess I have never heard of this winery before tasting it. It seems to be a relatively new company that primarily distributes its wine overseas and to hotels.

About Rioja Alta

Via Wikipedia. Logroño and Haro, the principal towns of Rioja, are both in theRioja Alta. Logroño is a very big town by Spanish standards, butHaro, at the western edge of the region, is an enclosed hilltopcommunity and a much smaller, far more charming, older, andtraditional place. The area’s wine is Rioja’s fullest in terms of fruitand concentration, and can be velvety smooth. Bodegas Mugamakes fine examples of pure Rioja Alta, as do CVNE (CompañíaVinícola del Norte de España)—in the form of their Imperialline—in nine years out of every ten.