The 2006 La Bastida Crianza is 100% Tempranillo aged for 12 months in American oak barriques. Deep crimson-colored, it delivers an already complex nose of spice box, pencil lead, tobacco, and black cherry. With some elegance on the palate along with some ripe, underlying tannin, this savory Rioja should evolve for another 1-2 years. It will offer prime drinking from 2011 to 2018.
Castillo La Bastida is an excellent Rioja cooperative founded in 1964.
Importer: Winebow Inc., New York, NY; www.winebow.com