Bodegas Akutain Rioja Crianza

An old school Rioja that definitely delivers on QPR. Sweet red cherries, tar, and coconut/vanilla (there, but not overwhelming). Lighter-bodied than many of the more modern, extracted styles, but really nice freshness and acidity, with rounded tannins to bring it all together. A nice Rioja for drinking now, but I think this could improve over the next couple of years in bottle and drink well for the next 10.

The fruit is very pretty and nicely complemented by distinctive spice notes, but I find the smoky oak hard to get around. I�m obviously not much of a rioja drinker, so take this fwiw.