YJAR Rioja 2020

98 points James Suckling

#24 in Top 100 Wines of Spain, 2024. The minerality offers a thin gauze that veils the notes of chalk, seashells, violets, white pepper, flowers and red and blue berries. Touches of graphite, spices and grapefruit zest as well. The tannins are dusty and abundant, melding into the extremely long, mineral finish. Transparent, pure and stony! Pristine and understated, yet complex and persistent. This is a chalky wine. 12,652 bottles. Drink from 2025, but you can keep this for 20 plus years.

96 points Wine Advocate

The nose of the 2020 Yjar developed very floral notes with time in the glass, making it very aromatic, expressive and elegant. This is completely different from the other two reds, as this comes from a specific plot. It reveals the finesse of the marl soils and the austerity of the stones. It was a year of sorting and discarding (they had hail) to achieve the consistency they look for in this wine. The different varieties co-planted in the vineyard fermented together (there's more Garnacha here) in open-top oak vats with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in foudres and barrels of different sizes for approximately 30 months. It's elegant and clean, with a seamless palate, very fine tannins and a vibrant mouthfeel. 12,656 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2023.

96 points Decanter

Gorgeous fragrance on the nose, so softly and gently perfumed - fragrant with floral roses and violets and ripe, almost sweetly-scented strawberries with a hint of Black Forest Gateau too. Succulent and grippy, this takes hold with super fine tannins that give a powdery sensation on the palate with crunchy red berry fruit. Acidity is perfect, lifting the fruit giving tension and zing as well as elongating the expression. There’s lift but no lacking in power or push. Finessed, elegant and totally delicious. Juicy and moreish, there’s a feeling of utter confidence but no showing off. Authentic and you get a feeling this is clear representation of what this wine/vineyard can do even in conditions of drought and high temperatures. 3.60pH. Ageing 12 months in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak barrels.

PRODUCT DETAILS

• TypeRed Wine
• CountrySpain
• RegionRioja
• Size750mL
• Vintage2020

RATINGS & AWARDS

• JS 98

PRODUCTION

• OrganicYes