Bodega Akutain, Rioja Crianza

BodegaAkutain’s history begins in the early 1970s with its founder, Juan PeñagaricanoAkutain. At the time, Akutain was a young man living in the Basque countrywhile working as a traveling salesman in the wine trade. Through his work, theyoung Akutain forged bonds with the families behind some of the Rioja region’smost storied traditionalist estates, including CVNE and La Rioja Alta. Aftermany years spent visiting the cellars, studying local vineyard techniques, anddrinking every bottle of Rioja he could lay his hands on (all the while savinghis earnings), Akutain was ready to plant his own vineyards. He spent a fewyears searching for the perfect site and finally, in 1975, he found his dreamproperty located just west of the village of Haro, the epicenter of Rioja, andconverted an abandoned horse stable into a tiny wine cellar. A traditional Tempranillo-dominated blend with a smattering of Grenache (Garnacha) and Viura. This is “old-school” in the best sense of the word with its woodsy n