2014 Bodegas Pedro Martinez Alesanco Reserva Rioja 750 ml

The bustling, convivial scene was the ProWein Trade Fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, one of the largest gatherings of wineries and wine professionals in the world. More than 7,000 wines were open for tasting, but only one literally stopped us in our tracks while our noses were stuck in the glass. To this day we remember its explosive bouquet of vanilla, clove, and violets as well as a satiny palate of fresh red cherry and plum. 

It turns out the wine was a stunningly approachable Rioja Reserva from an estate way off our radar screen, Bodegas Pedro Martinez Alesanco. We were immediately struck by the combination of richness and freshness this wine was able to pull off, and once we learned its price, we began scheming about how to bring some Alesanco home.

We’ve always had a weakness for great Rioja, and we’re grateful that many of our members do as well. Last year’s sub-$20 Bodegas Pedro Martinez Alesance Reserva sold out in 48 hours, with one member reporting, “Stunning, delicious and complex. Fresh minerality. Happy I purchased two cases!” Today’s 2014 vintage is deliciously in line with the 2013, earning a score of 93 points from critic James Suckling, who noted that “its bright acidity makes for a gorgeous shape.” 

Bodegas Pedro Martinez Alesanco makes its home in the mountainous Rioja subregion of Rioja Alta. Here, the weather is chilly, and the higher altitude and increased exposure to Atlantic breezes allow Tempranillo grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, building terrific, complex flavors while the acids remain fresh and vibrant. The well-draining clay and iron-rich soils round out the recipe, resulting in a red wine that’s rich, vibrant, and demanding to be consumed. While the Reserva spent 16 months in French and American oak barrels (Rioja Reserva reds must spend a year in oak), the effect is not overt oak flavor but a firmer tannic backbone on which to hang the wine’s beautiful fruit.

When we consider all the wines we’ve discovered in our travels, the Alesanco Reserva remains one of our most fortunate finds, and we have our friend Christophe Chappillon to thank. 

A French-born importer and winemaker who has adopted Spain as his home, Chappillon poured us those first tantalizing sips in Germany, and we remain the only seller of this wine in the U.S. It’s as delicious and thought-provoking as any Rioja we’ve had recently, to the point where it’s worth savoring a glass as an aperitif before enjoying the rest with dinner. 

All this, plus a $20 price, makes it nothing short of essential to have on hand by the case.