Altos R Pigeage Tempranillo 2015

Haut-Brion trained Jean-Marc Sauboua founded Altos in 2002. Since then he’s won over 120 Golds plus many high scores. His flagship wine Pigeage has alone won over 50 Golds. Most recently the 95 point 2015 was listed as ninth finest Rioja in James Suckling’s 2018 ‘100 Top Spanish Wines’. Phenomenal! Pigeage is made mostly from old vine (80+ years) Tempranillo, vinified using Burgundy’s pigeage method. This involves fermenting in open vats and plunging the skins into the liquid three times a day – hands-on winemaking that delivers great results. Barrel aged for 15 months in part new French (80%) and US oak, and bottled without filtration, the wine offers intense black fruits with vanilla oak complexity and minerality. Lovely with roast lamb.