2012 Lan Rioja Crianza

How can you beat a wine made from Tempranillo grapes and is a crianza for less than $20.00. Yet, this Lan Rioja is just that. We had this wine after an arduous day in the vineyard pruning our four year old vines. So nice to sit back and sip a deep purple aged wine with (sigh...no one wanted to cook), pizza and a Greek salad.
Way back in history on August, 2013, we were treated to a Rioja Wine Tasting at the Wine Store in Westerly, Rhode Island and at that tasting, we were able to sample a 2005 Bodegas LAN Rioja Edicion Limitada.
Wines from Spanish wine growing region, Rioja are a very good buy because they are not released until they are pretty much ready to drink. The 2012 Lan Crianza is already 5 years old and very, youthful with a fair around of fruit. The designation that this wine is a crianza means that the wine must spend a year in oak barrels and a year aging in the wine bottle before it can be sold. A step up from a Crianza is a Reserva and then a Gran Reserva:¹

• Crianza: 1 year in oak barrels and 1 year aging in bottles
• Reserva: 1 year in oak barrels and 2 years aging in bottles
• Gran Reserva: 2 years in oak barrels and 3 years aging in bottles

This Lan Crianza will go on my tab: Wines Under $20.
Reference:
1. Wine Folly:Rioja Wine: From Crianza to Gran Reserva