Lar de Paula, Rioja (Spain) 2013

I like my young Rioja light and fresh and unencumbered by heavy-handed oak, and thankfully, this style seems to be on the rise.  Whether that is true — and whether the trend can be sustained — is rather unclear, as adoration of wood is very deeply ingrained (sorry) in the wine culture of La Rioja.  In any case, this is fruity without being obvious, with nice red-toned flavors and nice accents of spices and just enough grip in the finish to provide definition without imparting any astringency.