La Sorda is a single village wine (the village is Lapuebla de Labarca) from Spain’s Rioja Alavesa region. This specificity a very unique trait of this wine’s production. The wine itself as a Rioja is a tempranillo-dominant blend. La Sorda means ‘the deaf woman’ and this small plot of vineyard once belonged to an aunt who was a little hard of hearing!

This delightful, multi-faceted La Sorda 2020 Rioja Vendimia Seleccionada Tempranillo registers 14% alcohol and is deep magenta in the glass. The nose shows raspberry jam scents, the front palate juicy, ripe plum flavour, the middle palate mulberry, spearmint, cinnamon and savoury oak and the finish toasty tannins. Drink to: 2023-2030; Price: $40.00; Alcohol: 14.2%; Rating: ★★★★★ John Lewis

A fine if youthful Rioja, naturally Tempranillo dominant. It is deep magenta in colour with a lovely focused nose exhibiting notes of cherries, herbs, raspberries and roast meats. Soft texture and of medium length, this is finely balanced with a slow, gentle fade. Attractive now and for the next three to four years. Worth seeking out. Drink to: 2022-2026; Price: $40.00; Rating: 92 Points; Ken Gargett

A nose of fresh tobacco with plum and old leather; there is a maraschino cherry like character to the palate that gives sweetness of fruit and is kept in check by tannins that take on leather and the faintest note of clove. The finish has good length balance between more primary fruit characters and the understated secondary influence that provide great interest. Drink to: 2023-2030; Price: $40.00; Rating: 92 Points; Patrick Eckel; The Wine Reviewer