Planted in 1960, the 3.6-hectare La Poza de Ballesteros vineyard sits at an altitude of 560 meters above sea-level. A densely-spaced, west-facing vineyard, La Poza contains a nutrient-poor and visually interesting soil type that is comprised of small pebbles with light brown spots and white limestone formations that overlay a dense and rather homogeneous sub-soil mixture of silty-clay and loam – the perfect soil mixture for producing deep and tiny roots. The wine made from La Poza is consistently bold and fruit-forward.
Info
Producer:
Vintage:
2022
Country:
Spain
Region:
La Rioja
Appellation:
Vino de Espana
Variety:
Tempranillo
Color:
Red
Farming Practice:
Practicing Organic
Sizes Available
| Full Bottle | ES-ART-20-22 | 6/750ml |
Resources
Press & Reviews
James Suckling
Score
97
Date
2024-10-03
"Striking purity, precision and depth, with a touch of white pepper to the minerals, violets and blue fruit. Nuanced and deep at the same time, with chalky, reactive tannins creating tension and verticality. This is really long and pristine. From organically grown grapes. Tasted twice, once blind against San Lazaro, El Carretil and El Pison. Drinkable now, but better from 2026."
Tim Atkin, MW
Score
95
Date
2025-02-27
"Part of a head-turning range from Carlos L¢pez de Lacalle, La Poza de Ballesteros uses Tempranillo grapes from a 1.18-hectare parcel on deep soils at 600 metres in Elvillar. Subtly wooded in 10% new French and Austrian oak, this has flavours of black olive and blood orange, impressive density and tannins and a fresh, tangy finish. 2029-2040"
Vinous
Score
94
Date
2025-05-22
"The 2022 La Poza de Ballesteros reflects a warm vintage and deeper soils with good water retention. The nose delivers ripe cherry and pomegranate, framed by notes of undergrowth. Generous and creamy in texture, the palate is fruit-forward with chalky tannins while the easygoing finish revels in its ripeness. This vineyard adapted well to the hot year."
Wine Advocate
Score
94+
Date
2025-02-27
"The 2022 La Poza de Ballesteros is always the wine I find to be riper, even if the ripeness is more and more controlled. It's ripe but not heavy. It's from an east-facing vineyard, but the deep soils have good hydric reserves and provide freshness. It has balance, 14.66% alcohol, a pH of 3.68 and 4.83 grams of acidity. It's juicy and more fruit-driven but starting to show the limestone chalkiness. 4,000 bottles were filled in June 2024."
REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES
2021
James Suckling
Score
99
Date
2023-09-18
"Such a brood of youthful black cherries with white pepper, minerals, chalk and iodine on the nose. Really fine, crumbled tannins on the palate, giving it linearity and expressiveness. Such precision and elegance for this vintage with an iron fist of silky tannins. This is even better than the 2020 vintage if you appreciate details and finesse over power and verticality. Drink from 2025."
2021
Vinous
Score
94
Date
2024-04-18
"The 2021 La Poza de Ballesteros is 100% Tempranillo sourced from a vineyard planted in 1960 in Elvillar de Álava, Rioja Alavesa. This garnet-purplish red wine reveals subtle aromas of wild herbs with hints of cherry and pennyroyal. On the palate, it is dry, velvety and comfortable, with ripe and plush tannins that lead to a long-lasting fruit finish. This Rioja exemplifies a terroir-driven approach, showcasing the fruit tones and nuances unique to the Elvillar region."
2021
Wine Advocate
Score
94
Date
2024-03-11
"There is a note of fennel in the 2021 La Poza de Ballesteros, a wine that is more open, approachable and round, with a gentler palate. It feels comfortable and velvety. This is the opposite slope to Valdeginés, a soil with more sand. 4,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2023."
2020
James Suckling
Score
97
Date
2023-08-24
"Deep yet vibrant nose with morello cherries, iodine, oyster shells, crushed stones and fine spices. Certainly nothing 'sweet" here. A tight claw of fibrous tannins on the full-bodied palate. Really mineral and chalky with crumbled, fine tannins. Drink or hold."
2020
Wine Advocate
Score
93+
Date
2023-02-28
"The 2020 La Poza de Ballesteros is a powerful and ripe wine with 14.66% alcohol and ripe fruit, volume and round and dense tannins. It's from a 1.18-hectare plot of vines planted in 1960 on deep brown soils, and the exposition to the afternoon sun and the deeper soils gives the grapes more ripeness‡and this wine is always a riper expression of Tempranillo. It's unctuous, with contained ripeness, fresher fruit and fine, slightly dusty tannins. It's balsamic, clean and fresh with some aniseed and fennel aromas and a silky, gentle palate, with less ripe sensations than in past vintages. 3,800 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2022 and in barrel until June 2021."
2019
James Suckling
Score
97
Date
2022-09-13
2019
Wine Advocate
Score
93
Date
2021-12-30