Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta, Rioja Crianza (La Rioja, Spain) “Cuvée” 2020 ($19)

This is a very fine Rioja Crianza for $19 if you can find it—modern in style with very little obtrusive oak and open, flavorful fruit (on a structural platform that is usefully just shy of medium-bodied but really not light). Made entirely from Tempranillo, this is already showing some tertiary accents and is ready to rip, but is not in any danger of cracking up anytime soon. If more Rioja wines were this complex and complete and priced under $20, and if consumers tasted enough of them to know what was available, few Pinot Noirs priced under $30 would have a snowball’s chance in hell on retail store shelves.
91 Michael Franz