▸ Quietly serious Tempranillo.

▸ Black cherry. Blackberry. Chocolate.

▸ 520-m Sajazarra vines.

Hand-picked Tempranillo from 520 m altitudes in Rioja Alta resets the day with fresh black-cherry fruit and dry, sandy tannin. Twelve months in mostly second-use French barrels keeps oak in the background, so a single glass stays light enough for the sofa.

Sajazarra sits at 520 m, a pocket of Rioja Alta that keeps Tempranillo brisk under Atlantic winds. Rodrigo Madrid ages Saiaz 12 months in mainly second-use French barriques, followed by another year in bottle, aiming for clarity over oak. Wine Enthusiast scored the 2019 release 92 points for its polished tannin.