Critic tasting note: (2023 vintage)
"Very absorbing aromas of violets, blueberries and sloe berries. The palate is delineated, medium bodied with polished, focused chalky tannins. It has this very fluid particular texture, this sense of elegant almost ethereal fruit it always has. It’s succulent and expressive, with subtle chewiness from precise tannins and a savory touch in the finish. Drink now or hold." - James Suckling
Technical Details
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Producer: Bodega Lanzaga, Telmo Rodríguez, Lanciego, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja DOCa, Spain
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Wine: Las Beatas
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Vintage: 2023
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Grape varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and other local varieties; field blend
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Vineyard: Las Beatas, a single 1.9-hectare site
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Vineyard location: Northwest Rioja Alavesa, west of Lanciego, near Labastida
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Altitude: 500–600 metres
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Vineyard layout: Ten terraced levels facing east, south and northwest
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Soil: Poor, stony soils on sandstone flats, with Miocene continental conglomerates and Tertiary marl outcrops
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Vine age: Mix of old and younger vines
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Farming: Certified organic (ES-ECO-026-VAS), biodynamic practices
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Harvest: Hand-harvested and field-selected
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Fermentation: 1,000 kg wooden vats
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Ageing: 18 months in a single 1,200-litre French oak foudre
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Bottle size: 750 ml
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Alcohol: 14%
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Closure: Cork
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Critic score: 99/100 — James Suckling
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Serving temperature: 16–18°C
The Producer
Bodega Lanzaga is the Rioja project of Telmo Rodríguez, one of Spain’s most influential advocates for terroir-driven, site-specific winemaking. The estate is based in Lanciego, in Rioja Alavesa, and works with old vines, organic farming and minimal intervention.
Las Beatas is the estate’s rarest and most celebrated wine, produced in fewer than 1,500 bottles per vintage. It is made from a single vineyard that Rodríguez and his team have worked for two decades, preserving old vines and recovering forgotten indigenous varieties.
Vineyard and Terroir
Las Beatas is a 1.9-hectare site in the northwest of Rioja Alavesa, west of Lanciego and near Labastida. The vineyard is arranged in ten terraced levels facing east, south and northwest, creating a mosaic of orientations and microclimates within a single plot.
The soils are poor, stony and low in fertility, composed of sandstone flats with Miocene continental conglomerates and Tertiary marl outcrops. Despite the dry climate, the site has an unusual capacity to retain and supply water to the vines, giving the wine its freshness and mineral precision.
The 2023 Vintage
The 2023 Rioja growing season was warm, but the Las Beatas vineyard retained impressive freshness thanks to its altitude, soil composition and water retention. The terraced layout and varied orientations allowed for a nuanced expression of the site, with each section contributing its own character to the final blend.
James Suckling awarded the 2023 Las Beatas 99 points, noting that it “once again shows its big personality” and is “not a canonical Rioja.” The wine’s aromatic profile is highly floral, with violets and a precise expression of fruit.
Winemaking and Ageing
The grapes are hand-harvested and field-selected, then fermented in 1,000 kg wooden vats. After vinification, the wine is aged for 18 months in a single 1,200-litre French oak foudre in the cool, historic cellar of Bodega Lanzaga.
This restrained use of wood allows the vineyard’s expression to remain at the forefront. The result is a wine of remarkable balance, where power and finesse coexist without heaviness.
Tasting Profile
Las Beatas 2023 presents an exceptionally refined and layered aromatic profile. Ripe red and dark fruits are supported by floral nuances, Mediterranean herbs, spices and subtle earthy notes, with new layers emerging as the wine develops in the glass.
On the palate, the wine combines concentration with remarkable precision. The structure is deep but never heavy, with refined tannins and lively acidity providing tension and length. The finish is long, mineral and exceptionally persistent.
Aroma and flavour: red and dark cherry, plum, violet, Mediterranean herbs, spice, earth, graphite and mineral notes.
Palate: full-bodied yet precise, with refined tannins, vibrant acidity, layered fruit and a long, mineral-driven finish.
Style: a terroir-driven, non-canonical Rioja—complex, energetic and harmonious, balancing power with finesse and expressing the singular character of the Las Beatas vineyard.
Drinking Window
Las Beatas is built for long-term cellaring. Its structure, acidity and mineral backbone give it the balance to develop for many years after release.
A realistic drinking window is likely to begin around 2026–2030 and extend into the 2040s under good cellar conditions. Serve it at 16–18°C and allow it plenty of air to open—decanting for 4–6 hours is recommended for young releases.
Food Pairing
Serve at 16–18°C with roasted lamb, beef, venison, grilled vegetables, mushroom-based dishes or aged cheeses such as Manchego, Idiazábal or aged Comté. Its acidity and mineral structure also suit rich, earthy preparations.
Avoid very spicy or heavily smoked dishes, which can overwhelm the wine’s floral aromatics and mineral precision.
Collector Note
This is a rare, single-vineyard Rioja from one of Spain’s most respected producers, made in fewer than 1,500 bottles per vintage. Las Beatas has received perfect 100-point scores from Robert Parker in both 2015 and 2021, cementing its status as one of Rioja’s most collectible wines.
The combination of Telmo Rodríguez’s reputation, the exceptional Las Beatas terroir and the 99-point score from James Suckling for the 2023 vintage makes this a compelling long-term proposition for collectors of age-worthy, terroir-driven Rioja.
Recommended serving: decant for 4–6 hours before serving at 16–18°C; use a large Burgundy-style or wide-bowled glass to allow its floral, mineral and fruit complexity to unfold.
Producer Notes
Las Beatas is an exceptional “site”, capable of providing water to the vines regularly, like only “great crus” do.
Closure Type
Cork
Ageing
Aged exclusively in a 1,200L foudre in our very old and cold cellar.
Vineyard Notes
1.9 hectares at the northwestern area of Rioja Alavesa, where the Continental Miocene conglomerates are mixed with sandstone and marl outcrops from the late Tertiary. Ten levels of terraces facing east, south and northwest. Old vineyard combined with young vineyard. Eight, maybe nine local varieties.
