Campo Viejo, Rioja DOCa (Spain) Tempranillo 2021

 Some of Rioja’s larger producers enjoy economies of scale for growing, winemaking, and barrel aging that enable them to produce excellent wines that reach export markets at mind-blowingly attractive prices.  This is just such a wine.  It is light-bodied but offers lots of spicy, fruity complexities, with fine balance between grape-based and wood-based notes (with the balance leaning toward fruit, thankfully).  Red and black cherry notes come first to mind, with fine purity and persistence.