2022 Tabuérniga Rioja, Bodega Lanzaga

• Style: Structured Rioja Alavesa, Burgundian approach
• Taste: Elderberry, garrigue, smoked meat, dark chocolate, mineral spine
• Food: Roast dinners, stews, game, beef, lamb
• Occasion: Gifting, cellar worthy
• Serve: 16–18°C now or age 20 years

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Wild aromatics and structured depth define this benchmark expression. Aromas of elderberry, dried herbs and pepper open to a supple palate where garrigue, smoked meat and dark chocolate evolve across the mouth. Tannins are measured and poised, building toward a stony, focused conclusion—a wine of austere character and mineral-driven identity.

The Winery — Bodega Lanzaga

Telmo Rodriguez, a maverick winemaker, left his family estate in the early 1990s to study in Burgundy and Bordeaux, and work across Spain and the Rhône. When he returned to Rioja in 1998 with Pablo Eguzkia to found Bodega Lanzaga, he carried with him a vision of approaching the region differently—a Burgundian sensibility applied to Rioja Alavesa's finest slopes. His deep knowledge of Alavesa's centuries-old winemaking heritage, particularly the old vines planted on hills above Lanziego, shaped the estate's philosophy. The 2022 Tabuérniga emerged from an early, heat-driven harvest that nevertheless delivered outstanding fruit thanks to deep water reserves. Sourced from a 2.7-hectare vineyard above Labastida on steep limestone and clay terraces, the fruit underwent co-fermentation with wild yeasts in large open vats, then matured in spacious oak foudre without fining or filtration—a technique preserving the wine's austere character and mineral identity.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This is serious wine for serious food. Beef and lamb benefit from its grip and savoury depth, while the mineral spine makes it equally at home with game or herb-crusted poultry. The wine's structured profile and dark-fruit intensity also complement roast dinners and slow-cooked stews and braises. Drink it now to savour expressive youth, or cellar it for the next two decades as it develops further depth and grace. Explore our Spain and Rioja collections to discover more from this compelling region.