Bodegas Hermanos Pecina Rioja Crianza is immediately appealing with beautiful dark red fruit, black cherry and strawberry jam notes. The oak notes of vanilla, toasted wood and cigar box and perfectly integrated and elevate this wine to the next level. The wine spends 24 months in American oak, far longer than required for this category and is all the better for it. It’s a masterclass in complex, intense, fragrant and deliciously modern Rioja.

Bodegas Hermanos Pecina is a relatively new winery, founded in 1992 by Pedro Pecina Crespo. It was not until 1997, with the building of a new bodega, that the company was able to produce a full range of traditional Rioja wines. Pedro himself was no newcomer to Rioja wine making, having worked with several top producers and latterly as chief viticulturist at La Rioja Alta. They now produce a remarkable selection of Rioja wines that perfectly balance the classic American oak characteristics with modern generous amounts of fruit. The wines are silky, refined and almost Burgundies like in their finesse and texture.

The winery and 50 hectares of vineyards are located in the Sonsierra region of Rioja Alta on predominantly lime rich soils. Nestled between the Sierra Cantabria mountains and the Ebro River, this is a unique area where the Atlantic and Mediterranean climates combine to create a unique microclimate, ideal for premium grape growing.