2009 Bodegas Hermanos Pecina Senorío de P Pecina Gran Reserva 750 ml

Why has Rioja earned a reputation as one of the most legendary red-wine regions in the world? The answer lies in this back-vintage treasure: 2009 Hermano de Peciña Rioja Gran Reserva, Pedro Peciña’s perfectly aged, 94-point ode to traditional Rioja winemaking.

Grown on 50-year-old vines planted on Peciña’s prized Finca Iscorta parcel, it’s produced only in the most exceptional years—and there were only two other such releases in the decade leading up to the ‘09 vintage.

As the longtime vineyard manager for La Rioja Alta—arguably the most famed winery in Rioja—Peciña developed an eagle eye for spotting the best sites for viticulture, so it’s no surprise that his eponymous winery lies on some of Rioja’s most enviable terroir.

Since then, Bodegas Hermanos Peciña has become one of the most noteworthy estates in Rioja. The Wine Advocate has called it “a new classic,” and New York Times critic Eric Asimov called them “one of my favorite Rioja producers.”

For him, tradition isn’t just an idea, but a painstaking practice. Peciña harvests by hand, and ages his wine over long periods in neutral American oak. While the wine is in barrel, Peciña sticks to a laborious, twice-yearly racking regimen, aided only by gravity. This allows the wine to breathe and develop complex flavors and silky tannins.

Furthermore, this Gran Reserva spends three years in barrel and another three in bottle—a year more for each than Rioja regulations require. It’s a time (and capital) intensive commitment that’s rewarded with complexity and elegance. Pop the bottle and you’ll want to thank Peciña for going to such lengths.