2019 YJAR Rioja Alavesa

A blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, Granegro, and Rojal, the 2019 YJAR is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It prances out with fragrant scents of mulberries, kirsch, and blackberry preserves, followed by hints of cracked black pepper, tree bark, and tobacco with a hint of garrigue. The medium-bodied palate delivers wonderfully pure black fruit and mineral flavors with a soft texture and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy.
96/100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown; The Wine Independent

Yjar 2019 (Rioja Alavesa; a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, Granegro and Rojal; 14% alcohol). Also from Telmo Rodriguez. Somewhat firm and closed at this nascent stage, but what it does show is its considerable potential. A little candlewax, assorted plum and baked plum fruits on the nose. Pure, focussed and precise on the palate, nicely layered and impressively dense and compact. This I find stronger than last year’s release but it’s very much a vin de garde and will need a good few years in a cool cellar to show of its best. A lot of potential.
96/100 Colin Hay; The Drinks Business

I tasted this at the property from barrel, thrilled to follow it now in bottle. Grabs you from the first moments with its sage, thyme, dried flowers and incense aromatics, clings to your nostrils, drawing you in, so much depth of flavour to the vivid raspberry and sour cherry fruits, delicate and yet powerful. Hard to describe how little artifice is conveyed in the glass, it's not a wine that is coated in new oak, instead it is delicate, poised, crafted, utterly gorgeous, so moreish. Harvest October 6 to 18, 3.8ha, old gobelet vines, with any replacements coming from massal selction. Iconic winemaking partnership Telmo Rodriguez and Pablo Eguzkiza. I hope everyone folllowed my advice from the first vintage to get on board because it is more than living up to its potential, and its tiny quatities means that first come are almost certainly first served.
100/100 Jane Anson