I would check the Cune wines. In particular the Vina Real and the Imperial. The Contino and the Vinas del Olivo are also pretty clean oakwise.
At the risk of repetition, and I’m midway through a bottle as I write this, the 2018 Goyo Garcia Viadero “Joven de Vinas Viejas” is a ridicously good value for a pure, unoaked Termpranillo experience…
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Agree with the Imperial.
For anyone looking for a non woody example of (mostly) tempranillo, the 2019 Artuke [Rioja] is a fine example. This 13.5% abv blend is from Riojanes growers turned bodegas, and the two Blanco brothers have taken a Burgundian terroir approach to their wines. This bottling is intended to be an analog to a multi plot village level wine, in this case from the Banos de Ebro area. They have another morcellated wine from another village, and then three more expensive single vineyard bottlings. Although there is 8000 cases of production, and its distributed by T.Edward Wines, it can be hard to find out west. (Labeling might have changed for new releases as well). The hand harvested tempranillo has a dollop of viura here too, almost Cote Rotie like, which is supposed to add some zip to an already bright fresh red. I find the bouquet to be floral, with red raspberries on the palate, and lots of juicy acidity. I think this is raised in concrete, and as trite as it sounds, comes across as unmanipulated and honest. Domestic Spanish critics like the Penin Guide have been positive on this too, and I’m happy to piggyback their view, slotting this into the A- zone. I’ll be keeping this bodega on the watch/buy list but it’s not typically stocked at my usual (in person) vendors.
Lots of positive changes are happening in the region, as younger farmers leave behind the DOC constraints e.g. this is flagged as ‘red wine’ with no ‘joven/crianza’ etc. notation.
The agglomerated cork might be some kind of TCA resistant type. I saw a weird logo in small type but it was not DIAM. It has not been kept overly cold or anything (usual 56F in the Eurocave) but it has developed lots of crystals on the cork.
It feels like WB doesn’t have much Rioja discussion beyond the centenary estates, compared to the potential excitement / interest in newer names.
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