LZ 2023

The arrival of "la Compañía" in La Rioja, along with Telmo’s own working knowledge gained at Remelluri, his family’s highly reputable winery, heralded wines that emerged in the Bordeaux style: the "Médoc Alavés". LZ is from vineyards in the Rioja Alavesa that has a particular climate, where Mediterranean weather conditions merge with the purer Atlantic elements. Junior in rank to Lanzaga, this is an unpretentious, decent wine made along simple lines that spends a few months ageing in vats and has no contact with wood. Contrary to the new vintage wines from Rioja, very tart-tasting and extremely light (to such an extent that some people call them diluted), LZ displays very lively tonality, splendid acidity and moves lightly in the glass. On swirling the glass, slight traces of fermentation and reduction can be detected, wonderfully accompanied by the delightful lactic aroma and that of tart strawberry syrup, giving way after a bit of aeration to earthy aromas of black pepper and green peppers. Showing a sharp edge, LZ comes over as dynamic and powerful; any sharpness can be acknowledged as emanating from the earthy-spicy factor. Marvellous, with a long, fresh-tasting finish, that leaves a really clean feel. A lot of work for just an unpretentious wine!