Colección Vivanco Parcelas de Graciano 2016

As with the rest of the range, the 2015 Colección Parcelas de Graciano was fermented in small oak vats and matured in new 225-liter oak barrels for 17 months. There are plenty of dark aromas, hints of licorice, smoke, cured meat and a peppery Rhône-ish character that reminded me of the Garnacha but in a darker shade. It's powerful and concentrated with some dusty tannins that give it some rusticity. 1,809 bottles were filled in June 2017.

Graciano comes into its own as a varietal wine in the warmer climate of the Rioja Oriental, where its tannins and acidity are softened by the heat, even in the higher altitude of Tudelilla. This is meaty, peppery and intense, with well-handled 20% new wood, plum and damson fruit and an earthy undertone. 2022-28