Ben says

★★★ Outstanding Wine “Purplish going ruby at the rim. This is still looking like it’s new on the block. Legs stream all down the glass while blackberries and damsons fill the nose. It’s smooth, almost luscious, on the palate with rolling notes of fresh black fruits over sticky cassis, with a mix of clove, pepper, dark chocolate and spice on the finish. The oak influence brings a sweeter vanilla note but it’s never cloying. This finishes long and smart. It’s a wonderful wine, and I will happily go back for glass two.”

The Vagabond Old Vine Grenache, Blewitt Springs

KEY POINTS

100% Tempranillo (Tinta del País) with 14.5% abv. Made from 50yr+ old vines. Still young, this wine would cellar well for up to five years. Spontaneous ferment; 16 months in barrels, 80% French oak and 20% American oak. By the way this is a review for the Corimbo I Reserva, don’t confuse it with the La Horra Corimbo, their other very good wine that spends less time in oak.

Grown in: Ribera del Duero, SPAIN.

Food Pairing

This isn’t an everyday wine. This wine’s special, and it deserves something very tasty alongside. That doesn’t mean splashing out on posh nosh, but if you’re going to make lasagne (one of my favourite Tempranillo food pairings) then please take your time, slow-cook it, and make sure it’s the most flavoursome, gorgeous lasagne you’ve ever made. It’ll be worth it.

Disclosure & Price

Tasted during the Tim Atkin “Wines from Castilla Y Leon” tasting for Three Wine Men last year.

Around 40€ on the continent (see wine-searcher.com for stockists). Some older vintages available in the UK for more than £50. Hopefully the 2016 will come to the UK market soon.

Reviewed and tasted: 17 November 2022

Ben Franks Wine Tasting Note Producer Profile

About the Producer

Bodegas La Horra, or “The Hour”, is a project led by the team at Bodegas Roda. It’s made up of the winemaker Agustín Santolaya and the vineyard brothers Pedro and Paolo Balbás. The Hour project aims to make wines from the finest plots of land outside of Rioja. It focuses on old vines and was founded in 2009.