Viña Ilusión Rioja Tinto 2022

This gorgeous, energetic Rioja from Viña Ilusión in the Rioja Baja sub-zone boasts loads of red berries and red fruit. Deep red in the glass with a purple hue. Perfumed aromas of raspberries, red currants, black pepper and liquorice. The palate is juicy, mineral and smooth with subtle flavours of cassis and summer red fruits, leading to a spicy finish. Unlike most wines from the area, this one doesn't see any oak, which keeps its fruit aromas intact and fresh. A beautifull example of a fruit forward Rioja red.

Martin Alonso and Gloria Plaza are the farmers and winemakers behind Viña Ilusión. They own five hectares of Tempranillo in Rioja, on the hillsides of Isasa in the Cidacos Valley at around 600-700m of elevation, which they farm based on the principles of Masanobu Fukuoka (do-nothing farming - as little human intervention as possible), Rudolf Steiner (biodynamics) and permaculture. Their goal is to rejuvenate and uplift the land that they work, own, and live on. They've created a whole ecosystem that supports itself through the growing process, with olive trees, a vegetable garden and fruit trees planted.

While Rioja has the most illustrious reputation in winegrowing Spain, unfortunately the wines are often so overly manipulated that they have lost their sense of place. This is what makes the beautifully non-interventionist Rioja of Viña Ilusión so exciting -- their wine is simply the essence of their vineyard and the way it’s farmed.