Salbide Rioja is a halfway house between the Joven and Crianza styles of Rioja. Intended for young drinking it only spends four months in a mixture of American and French casks. The American casks in particular are noted for their ability to add a note of sweet vanilla to wines aged in them.

This wine comes from the Rioja Alavesa the smallest of the three sub regions of Rioja but a region noted for the quality of its wines. On the nose it has the classic Rioja note of sunshine, red fruit and a little leather. In the mouth the sweet raspberry red fruit continues underlined by sweet vanilla notes just like a refreshing raspberry ripple. It has decent length and a clean finish.

Oh and just in case you were wondering ‘Salbide’ is the Basque word for the horse paths that cross the local mountains.