Bodega Akutain, Rioja Reserva

No one does it like Akutain. Yes, their breathtaking wines can be compared to the all-time greats like López de Heredia and La Rioja Alta, but when it boils down to production, Bodega Akutain is a truly artisanal farmstead. Here you will find one man, a small horse stable-turned-cellar, and a mere 6.5 hectares of organically hand-farmed vines clinging to some of Rioja’s highest elevation clay-limestone hillsides. Look no further if you wish to experience a shining example of mature, deeply traditional, ready-to-drink Rioja.Actually, there’s nowhere else to look: A quick drive around the internet will show you just how hard it is to come by Akutain’s Reserva—only a few vintages are listed and none of them are available for purchase. Honestly, if you dive in too deep you may start wondering if they even exist at all. But today’s 2012 proves that Akutain does indeed craft a Reserva, and although the man hardly makes any wine, the bottles that do reach us are ultra-authentic, region-defini