Arizcuren Finca el Foro 2019

The new single-vineyard red 2019 Finca El Foro was produced with a blend of five varieties planted in a 0.7-hectare vineyard in the Sierra de Yerga. It's 60% Garnacha, 30% Mazuelo (Cariñena) and 10% other grapes (Viura, Garnacha Gris, Miguel de Arco) from two plots planted 45 and 90 years ago, fermented destemmed and matured in used French oak barrels for 20 months. It's elegant, perfumed and nuanced, with pungent flavors and a combination of power and finesse that I like very much. It has a sensation of freshness reminiscent of acid berries and a long, dry and tasty finish. Another impressive debut. 966 bottles were filled in April 2021. - Luis Gutiérrez. 

Dark spices, cassis, black plums and hints of minerals and vanilla. Some red cranberries, too. A bright, fruity and juicy delivery with mealy, polished tannins in a medium-bodied palate. Precise and well balanced. The tannin quality is the highlight here. Drink or hold.

Finca El Foro is a new wine from the creative Javier Arizcuren, which he produces from a 0.7-hectare parcel at 600 metres. Garnacha-based with support from Mazuelo, Viura and Grenache Gris, it's an example of what the Rioja Oriental can produce at its best: textured, concentrated and complete, with earthy intensity, racy acidity and layers of damson, plum and wild strawberry fruit. 2024-32