Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta, Rioja Blanco Reserva (La Rioja, Spain) “Hinia” 2021 ($56)

Although being candid requires that I confess I think it will be very difficult to sell much of this wine at a price of $56 to those who aren’t already aficionados of woody Rioja Blanco, the Bodega probably doesn’t make a lot of it, and the wine’s commercial prospects have no real bearing on my estimation of its quality. The oxidative effects of barrel aging are very notable in the bouquet, and may set some tasters against this from the outset, but the impressive physical density of the core juice helps balance out the wine’s overtly woody flavors. The ripeness of the fruit from the vine leaves an impression of sweetness after the fermentation (though I doubt there’s an appreciable amount of residual sugar), and this likewise counter-balances the oak notes on the palate—which are certainly evident but not overbearing. The end result is a wine that is already delicious for those not scared off by wood influence, and the prospects for this aging in a manner that will result in the direction of greater complexity and enhanced integration are very good.
93 Michael Franz