01 Abel Mendoza ‘Jarrarte’ [Rioja] Over two days. Purchased recently. 13.5% abv Lightening at the edges. An orange red hue. Medium bodied. Mint, coffee, and pool chemical funk on the nose. Sweet fruit with a backdrop of bakers chocolate on the palate. Has a good balance between fruit, acid, and spine - perfectly mature now. Tannins are totally resolved. Label is confusing – says Jarrarte in big letters – which is their brand for their younger vines. And in tiny type on the bottom it says Abel Mendoza. Producers (according to Google) are shy and better at making wine than befriending guides. In the past I’ve bought their Seleccion Personale which is a little pricey for Rioja, but is lovely. I’d probably lean toward getting that bottling next time around. All in all, nice enough, but I’m not as enthused as the professionals are. I guess a B or B+ for this. It’s a relatively new bodega, and doesn’t make much wine.