Laithwaites Wine - Finca Labarca

Description
Bodegas Covilha is a relatively new venture, started just in 1989. Its vineyards are located near some other top Rioja cellars, including Marqués del Riscal, Rioja Alta and Muga.

These vines are planted at high altitudes, up to 600 metres, on low yielding, dry soils in the shadow of the Sierra de Cantabria mountain chain. At this height, the grapes ripen slowly and evenly thanks to cold temperatures at night that slow the process down.

Winemaker at the cellar is Gloria Molinet who has won numerous accolades and many gold medals. Gloria has a wide range of experience, including winemaker at several top Rioja cellars. Young, dynamic and skilful, she has created a fruit driven, deeply coloured red made purely from Tempranillo, with some attractive, spicy wood which gives structure and depth.

The wine was aged in oak barrels to give that extra layer of toasty spice complexity. With all its lush fruit, it makes excellent drinking now, but has all the stuffing to improve over the next few years. During that time, it will lose some of its youthful fruit and gain more complex secondary flavours.