Angelita del Challao 2021 Red

Manu Michelini, an Argentinian producer now firmly established in Spain, is the son of Gerardo Michelini and Andrea Mufatto. He splits his time between the family wineries in the Uco Valley in Mendoza (Argentina), Uruguay and Bierzo (Castilla y León), and his own project in Rioja.

Now approaching 30, Michelini radiates energy. After a period of training in Burgundy, he now works in Argentina and Uruguay from December to February. When he is in Spain, he regularly travels from Logroño, where he is based, to Bierzo. Coming from a vast country like Argentina, he has a different sense of distance — to him, the world has never been so within reach.

His connection with Rioja came about by chance. Still studying oenology at the time, he was returning from the Rhône when fellow winemaker Diego Magaña encouraged him to visit Rioja. Manu spent a week visiting different villages until he fell in love with Labastida. Determined to make wine there, he got in touch with Carlos Fernández of Bodegas Tierra, and together they developed an ambitious joint project. Dominio del Challao currently comprises a white wine, a single-varietal Garnacha, a single vineyard red and the village wine that we are highlighting this week, which will be split into two from the 2022 vintage onwards. Angelita will be sourced from high elevation vineyards, while the grapes for Virna will come from lower lying plots, better suited to a fruit-driven, approachable style. This makes the 2021 vintage, a year of excellent quality in Rioja, somewhat unique.

The wine’s name pays tribute to Manu's grandmother, who was born in Mallorca and emigrated in 1951 to a place in Argentina called Angelita. The rest of his family are of Italian descent, with roots in Friuli, Le Marche and Sicily. The little angel depicted on the label, holding a vine shoot with grapes, was drawn by a friend.

Angelita del Challao is the most accessible and best-value introduction to Manu's work in Rioja. His other wines range from €60 for the Garnacha to €150 for the single-vineyard Dominio del Challao. Up to 40% of the 2021 blend comes from a plot in Castrijo, west of Laguardia, overlooking the neighbouring village of Briñas. This rented vineyard, planted in 2001 with 90% Tempranillo, has clay at its centre with sand at the edges. A portion of stems and foot-trodden grapes is usually included. Each plot is fermented and aged separately for a year, subsequently blended, and left to rest until the following spring, when bottling takes place. Ageing occurs in barrels of various sizes and in foudres. Tempranillo accounts for about 80% of the blend, with the remainder consisting of Garnacha, Mazuelo and white varieties such as Viura and Garnacha Blanca.

What sets this wine apart, perhaps a reflection of the 2021 vintage, is its structure, which suggests good bottle ageing potential for at least five years. The slightly meaty aroma reveals ripe red fruits over a fresh herbal background, leading to a broad, moreish palate with ripe yet firm tannins. There is no hurry to open this bottle.

12,5% abv.
15,000 bottles
€25
Score: 92