Hacienda El Olmo Crianza 2020

Tempranillo from Rioja, two years' ageing minimum (one in oak). Cherry, vanilla, leather. Classic Rioja Crianza done well.

Bodegas la Eralta makes this wine in Agoncillo, a village in the warmer eastern stretch of Rioja. The fruit comes off high-altitude vineyards, and that elevation keeps the wine fresher than its postcode suggests.

The winemaking is patient rather than flashy. The juice sits on skins for about three weeks at controlled temperatures. The barrels are a mix of new and older oak, mainly French, so the oak sits with the fruit instead of over it. Tannins come out soft and the whole thing feels rounded.

Open it with food from its home turf. Lamb chops, chorizo, a board of hard cheese. Serve it a touch below room temperature and it will hold up across a long dinner.