La Rioja Alta Viña Arana Reserva 2011

Dried cherry, bitter orange peel, and a thread of tobacco lead into coconut and sweet spice, classic Arana. Firm but well-integrated tannins give structure without weight, carried along by a bright, food-friendly acidity. There's mocha and baking spice mid-palate, and the finish holds floral and pepper echoes with genuine length. Traditional Rioja done carefully. Drink now through 2028.