Exopto Cuvée Paola 2012

"This might be a one-off, as it's a special cuvée to celebrate the birth of winemaker Tom Puyaubert's daughter in 2012. I'm talking about a blend of 60% Graciano with equal parts of Tempranillo and Garnacha from a warm, Mediterranean vintage that allowed perfect ripening of the Graciano (not always the case). It was fermented in 1,500-liter oak vats with natural yeasts and matured for 18 months in 225-liter barriques, half of them new. This is a harmonious, serious red that does not show any heat. To the contrary, it feels quite fresh, very spicy and earthy with well-integrated oak aromas and flavors framed by serious, fine-grained tannins with a silky texture and terrific balance that bodes well for a long development in bottle. Great modern-traditional Rioja. Just plain great. Bravo! 3,000 bottles".