Bodega Lanzaga – Telmo Rodriguez: Rioja LZ 2023

: Tempranillo 90%, Garnacha 5%, Mazuelo 5%

: rot, trocken; 14,0% Vol.; Trinkreife: 2025–2032

: fruchtbetont; seidig & aromatisch; saftig

: Lobenberg: 93+/100; Jeb Dunnuck: 94/100; Suckling: 93/100; Tim Atkin: 93/100; Parker: 92+/100

: Spanien, Rioja, Rioja Alavesa

: Allergene: Sulfite,

Abfüller / Importeur: Bodegas Lanzaga Telmo Rodriguez, El Monte s/n, 01308 Lanciego (Alava), SPANIEN

Der Weinberg liegt auf Terrassen in 500 Meter Höhe. Biologisch-organisch bearbeitet. Spontanvergärung und Ausbau in Zement. Der Wein ist dunkel Rubinrot. In der sehr kirsch-duftigen, harmonischen Nase Pfeffer und viel rote Frucht nebst feiner Mineralien und Steinmehl. Am Gaumen Waldhimbeere, Kirsche, Johannisbeere und leichte Spuren von Thymian. Jung, charmant und würzig, vollmundig, satte Frucht, hervorragend balanciert mit erstaunlicher Länge. Unglaublich trinkiger Zechwein, irgendwo zwischen Beaujolais und Pinot Noir angesiedelt mit einem wahnsinnig Kick von roter Kirsche dazu, lecker und beeindruckend für wirklich alle.

2023 war sehr warm, aber er ist deutlich kühler und balancierter als der noch heißere und trockenere 2022. Nicht so aufregend und extrem wie 2021, eher eine reife und harmonische Version von 2020. Und so ist 2023 durchaus eine Fortsetzung der so großen Jahrgänge seit 2019. Luis Gutierez, Parkers Mann für Spanien, fasst den Jahrgang 2023 anhand von Alvaro Palacios Weingütern ganz im Westen und ganz im Osten, somit Landesübergreifend so zusammen: 2023 was an even more generous crop than 2022 … the wines have better balance, and it doesn't feel like a warm year at all. In fact, the wines feel more like they come from a cool year. It's a vintage that has a tendency toward reduction, not as much as 2020, but still reductive. But it's an elegant, stony reduction...The quality of the 2023s is stunning. There is a level of precision, cleanliness, symmetry and elegance that, if the end of the élevage and the bottling goes as expected, I must conclude that 2023 might be the finest vintage ... There might be other individual wines that reach higher peaks, but as an overall portfolio, the vintage 2023 represents the strongest collection ever produced.

Jeb Dunnuck über: Rioja LZ

From relatively young bush vines of Tempranillo, Graciano, and Garnacha, the little brother to the producer’s Lanzaga, the medium-bodied 2023 LZ exhibits a richness of brooding black fruit, nearly a dried fruit character to it. Floral in violet, it’s also savory and dark, with ample body weight and breadth across the palate, with no oak, aged only in concrete. It’s complex yet fresh and direct, ready to enjoy in its youth and over the next 15-20 years.

Suckling über: Rioja LZ

The 2022 LZ is primary, fruit-driven, young and fresh, bottled unoaked with moderate ripeness and alcohol. It's juicy and tender, with fine tannins, very nice balance and chalky minerality, transcending the concept of a young unoaked wine. 64,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2023. 92/100This wine has an exuberant nose featuring vibrant aromas of violets, crushed dark fruit and a hint of charcoal. On the palate it shows supple velvety tannins alongside lively dark fruit character and precise acidity. Crafted from old vines and aged in cement, it consistently offers excellent value. Drink now.,

Tim Atkin über: Rioja LZ

LZ, short for the village of Lanciego as well as the Lanzaga bodega, uses grapes from six bush-vine parcels in the village that Pablo Eguzkiza calls our 'worst parcels' with a smile. Everything is relative. Tempranillo-based with small contributions from Garnacha and Graciano, this has subtle reduction, no wood and plenty of black cherry and bramble fruit. Balanced and refreshing. 2026-33

Parker über: Rioja LZ

The young red 2023 LZ is Tempranillo, Graciano and Garnacha from organically farmed vines. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in small concrete tanks for 15 days and matured in those concrete tanks for one year, a longer élevage for a smaller production. It's pure and fruit-driven, expressive (it has some full clusters, a little à la Morgon), with some herbal notes. It has contained ripeness, 14% alcohol, a juicy texture and mouthfeel and very fine, polished tannins. 48,467 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2025.

Mein Winzer