2019 Cerro Anon Rioja Crianza 750 ml

When we discovered that the 2019 Cerro Añón Crianza Rioja scored 92 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards, it piqued our interest.

Then we heard that the Consejo Regulador de Rioja DOCa rated the 2019 Rioja harvest “Excellent,” calling it “THE” vintage.

But the deal wasn’t sealed until our Master Sommelier, Sur Lucero, put his stamp of approval on it—and when we took a sip, we were right there with him. We then wasted no time claiming every case we could.

The Cerro Añón label is reserved for the best, most classically styled wines from Bodegas Olarra, which has been a mainstay in the subzone of La Rioja Alta for nearly half a century.

You can’t talk about Bodegas Olarra without talking about the winery’s stunning architecture. Designed by Juan Antonio Ridruejo, the iconic three-winged building’s most prominent feature is the roof of the barrel room, composed of 111 hexagonal domes whose role is much more than aesthetic—they’re designed to prevent sharp temperature changes in the cellar. This is absolutely crucial for Rioja, where careful aging is the crux of the winemaking process.

The 2019 Cerro Añón Crianza, which consists of 90% Tempranillo and the remainder filled out by Mazuelo and Graciano, spent 15 months biding its time in 225-liter barriques of 80% American and 20% French oak that ranged from brand new to seven years old, then rested another seven months in bottle.

Now almost three years after this soon-to-be legendary harvest, all of the gorgeous spice, cherry, and earthy notes typical of great Rioja are knitting together in this Cerro Añón Crianza. This wine is drinking beautifully now, but will stand up in the cellar for years.