{"product_id":"va-rioja-tempranillo-doca-2023","title":"\"VA!\" Rioja Tempranillo DOCa 2023","description":"\u003ch4\u003eVineyard and winemaking\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVA! is made from estate-grown Tempranillo in Rioja Oriental, where warm Mediterranean-influenced days bring ripe fruit and cooler nights help retain freshness. The vineyards form part of Real Agrado's holdings between Alfaro and Aldeanueva de Ebro, allowing control from vine to bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2023 fruit was fermented in stainless steel without oak ageing, deliberately setting aside Rioja's familiar barrel-led profile. Made in a limited run of around 7,500 bottles, it is shaped for vivid fruit, supple texture and an energetic, contemporary character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eTasting notes\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVibrant purple-red, youthful and bright.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eNose\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrushed raspberry, blackberry and red cherry are joined by liquorice, violet and a faint creamy note.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003ePalate\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuicy and rounded, with generous red and black fruit carried by fresh acidity and smooth, pliant tannins. With no oak to interrupt the fruit, the finish is direct, savoury and lively. A light chill brings extra definition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFood pairing\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eServe lightly cool with chorizo and butter-bean stew, lamb koftas, charred mackerel, harissa-roasted cauliflower or a picnic of cured meats and young cheeses. Its fruit also handles mildly spicy dishes particularly well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBackground story\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReal Agrado describes VA! as its enfant terrible: a playful Rioja intended to challenge assumptions about what the region should taste like. The punctuation, modern label and unoaked winemaking all support that deliberately irreverent identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wine sits within an estate whose roots date to vineyard planting in 1974 and its own winery in 2005. Since 2018 Real Agrado has belonged to Grupo El Gaitero, while continuing to work solely with fruit from its own vineyards.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Real Agrado","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51567202926974,"sku":"RAVARIOJA23","price":20.9,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0036\/1984\/8252\/files\/the-rioja-discovery-twelve-bottle-collection-6-standardised-600x960.png?v=1791378680","url":"https:\/\/sommelierschoice.co.uk\/products\/va-rioja-tempranillo-doca-2023","provider":"Sommelier's Choice","version":"1.0","type":"link"}