Gil Berzal is producing stunning and classically styled Rioja wines in minuscule quantities in Rioja Alavesa. His single-vineyard Recoveco wines will stand up to the most renowned Rioja from the big names, but they have an elegant flair and are never over-wrought. 

San Julian is a single vineyard in La Guardia planted in 1955, which is widely considered to be of premier cru quality. This 2.1 hectare vineyard sits at 650 meters elevation with a southwest exposure. The soils here are calcareous clay and thin topsoil on very deep limestone bedrock. You can taste the stony minerality in this wine, and the plum and dark red fruits dominate the nose as there is little oak influence. Berzal avoids American oak, instead opting for older French oak barrels - so put aside your Rioja pre-conceptions!  A serious terroir-driven Rioja with weight and delectable tannin structure, but a pure expression of the fruit and the soils. 

Grape: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Other Rioja varietals (probably Garnacha and/or Viura) 

Farming: Biodynamic, Organic, Regenerative 

Soil: Limestone bedrock with some clay and only some 6 inches of topsoil 

Pairing: Aged manchego, roasted pork, chorizo