Heredad de Tejada Crianza, Rioja

• Vintage: 2018
  
• Origin: Rioja Alta, Northern Spain
  
• Taste Guide: Medium bodied and oaked; Nice, stalky, typical Tempranillo nose. Spice, vanilla and cherry & dark fruit flavours on the palate where they are joined by familiar Rioja liquorice nuances. Mouthfilling and fresh mellow character with good balance. Lovely vibrancy to this youthful looking red wine. Very drinkable, good quality Rioja.
  
• Decant/let breathe a few hours prior to enjoying. We actually loved this even more the following evening if you can wait that long, much softer!

• 75cl - 13.5% - Traditional Cork Closure
  
• Food friend: Tapas, mild pork or lamb dishes and of course Paella!

Legend says that Don Sancho emerged victorious in the famous Battle of Clavijo, in 844, in spite of losing his spear in combat and having to rally his troops using a yew branch. This battle and others made him a hero of the Reconquest.

For this reason, King Ramiro called him "el de Tejada" (the one of the yew branch) and as recognition of his and his thirteen sons’ unswerving loyalty and valour, he granted him the Privilege that protects the ancestral rights of his House, the only Lordship remaining from the 9th century to the present times.

Heredad de Tejada is a collection of wines made in the heart of Rioja Alta. Its winemaking process combines tradition and innovation, using modern facilities to create wines while following a natural process. For example, this wine is made in large vats with large mouths, imitating the traditional winemaking method in "lagos abiertos", where whole grapes are deposited in open vats and the carbonic maceration takes place.

£13.99 on a rival website, just £8.99 here!