2023 Oxer Bastegieta Otto Clarete Rioja

"This is a new rosé (at least for me). The slightly reductive and toasty 2023 Otto somewhat reminds me of the clarete from Dominio del Águila in Ribera del Duero. It's a serious and complex wine beyond the topics of the pink wines, produced with a blend of red and white grapes (hence a clarete!) It has ripeness, power and elegance, 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.3. The juice from all red and white varieties fermented together, finishing in 600-liter barrels, where the wine matured for six to seven months. It has a medium-bodied palate with clout, fine tannins and a chalky finish. Give it a little more time in bottle to finish integrating the toasty notes. 2,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2024." - Luis Gutierrez Review Date: February 2025