As its name implies, the 2008 Baigorri Vino de Garage was inspired by the garagiste movement in France, although it is a bit of a misnomer since production can reach around 70,000 bottles in some vintages. It is sourced from around 200 small plots of old vines over 50 years of age, cropped at around three tons per hectare and raised in fine grain Allier barrels for around 20 months. It has a pure, creamy bouquet of dark plum, creme de cassis, mango sorbet and a touch of lavender. The palate is full-bodied with ripe, supple tannins. It has a firm structure and substance with impressive focus and quite astounding clarity on the youthful, demonstrative finish. It will need several years bottle age. Drink 2015-2025.
If Lopez de Heredia, steeped in history, cobwebs and black mold, lies at one end of the spectrum, the Bodegas Baigorri lies at the other. They represent the two sides of traditional and modern Rioja in 2012. Fortunately, they both make rather good wines. Although you cannot taste architecture, the multi-million euro winery of Baigorri cannot pass without mention, carved deep into the rocky hillside with panoramic views across Rioja Alavesa and its magnificent giant steps leading from its Zen-like glass entrance. However, it is first and foremost a functional design, its seven tiers over 24 meters allowing unimpeded winemaking by gravity. Indeed, that is just one facet of winemaking here, where clearly no expense is spared. Baigorri makes most Bordeaux chateaux look like run-down shacks and the winemaking is finely tuned. And I must confess that I feared this would be a vanity project, cosmetic winemaking with plenty of money but negligible soul. I found this not to be the case. While the winemaking is analyzed down to every last detail and the wines are comparatively expensive, there is patently a passionate winemaking at its concrete heart and the wines are delicious. Here, approximately 25% of the vinified crop is out-sourced under long-term contracts, with the vinification under the control of the winery.
Importer: The Artisan Wine Company (US) and OW Loeb and Moreno Wines (UK)
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