Every June in the Rioja town of Haro, on the feast day of
San Pedro, the Batalla del Vino is held. The event is a mix
of religious ceremony and high spirited hedonism. It begins early in the morning with a procession to the nearby hills where at a small hillside chapel a religeous service is held. Afterwards, let battle commence – everyone, from child to grandparent, using everything from goatskin to agricultural crop sprayer, from super-soaker waterpistol to buckets, soaks everyone else with wine – the once white-clad citizens of the procession transformed to purple hues. An unforgettable experience.
Batalla Rioja rejoices in the spirit of this annual fiesta.
| Tasting notes |
| Youthful, bright garnet color. Showing ripe blackberry and wild strawberry on the nose, the most subtle vanilla notes from a brief passage in French and American oak. This clean, bright fruit is confirmed on the palate, soft and ripe but with sharp, lactic, almost yogurt-like character to the fruit adding texture, acidity and balance.
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| Rating |
| 2010: 85 Points - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate: "The 2010 Batalla Tempranillo is blended with 5% Garnacha and sees two months in American and French oak. It has a simple, slightly muffled plum and soy scented bouquet, while the palate is juicy and lively, albeit a little coarse and sharp towards the finish. Drink now." |
| Food pairing |
| A lovely, delicate wine that you’ll enjoy with Spanish tapas and especially, given the bright clean acidity, with grilled lamb chops.
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