Menu
--
Here is another terrific bargain and once again, it follows my principle of finding a well-respected producer and “drilling down” to their entry-level, value-driven wines. It never fails — the quality of the more expensive wines filters right on down to the daily drinkers! The art and effort are in knowing where to drill down to find the hidden gems…
The 2019 Piedra Rioja Joven Tinto is produced for Boutinot Wines, an import group based out of London that specializes in connecting European winemakers with independent retailers in the U.S. They team up with some of the best of Europe in order to produce private label wines that are always some of the best buys.
Now for the really interesting part — the wine is produced by none other than Bodegas Carlos Serres, one of our favorite producers in Haro, Rioja Alta!
Bodegas Carlos Serres has a long and detailed history in Rioja. The estate’s founder, Charles (Carlos) Serres, was born and raised in Orleans, France, and moved to Rioja in the late 1800s during the phylloxera crisis. He settled into the small town of Haro in the northwestern part of Rioja Alta and in 1896, he founded Bodegas Carlos Serres. His winery was the first in the region to successfully export wines to France, to Great Britain. and shortly thereafter, to the United States.
Today, the property is still entirely family owned and operated — one of the very few in the region able to claim family ownership for more than one hundred years!
In the glass, the 2019 Vega Piedra is super soft, approachable, and even more polished than the last few vintages. The earthy and comforting aromatics that we all love with Rioja lead to a palate of generous ripe berry fruit, along with nice hints of brown spice and cigar box. The medium-bodied palate is lifted and plummy, with a long juicy finish. A lot of the nuance comes from aging in both French and American oak — quite rare for a wine at this bargain price! There’s no new oak used — only well-used, practically neutral barrels that give the wine a lush roundness that stainless steel aging just can’t produce.
Call us, write us, email us, stop by. We’d love to see or hear from you! We’re open for In-Store Shopping! Not ready to mingle? We still offer Curb-Side pickup and Home Delivery.
Address: 65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, North Carolina 28801
Phone: 1-828-253-0060
Email: info@ashevillewine.com
Monday – Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: Closed
We’re a full service Wine Shop. If we don’t have it, we’ll find it and get it for you if it’s available to us. Yes, we are a wine shop, but more importantly, we are wine curators. We travel to Europe regularly to find wines to bring into Western North Carolina. We preview and profile all of our shop’s selections to ensure that you, our customer receive the best value and the best quality.Call us, write us, email us, stop in. We’d love to see or hear from you!
©Copyright 2021 Asheville Wine Market