“The rich nuances found in Rioja today will take your palate on a rewarding joy ride.” – Vinous

BINGO!

When Agent Noir visited this up-and-coming winery last year, he was blown away by the quality and the meticulous attention to detail, resulting in impeccable wines.

The geniuses behind UKAN are none other than Koldo and Eduardo Eguren, 5th generation of the Eguren family who are behind many cult wines like Sierra Cantabria of Rioja, and others in Toro, with roots back to the 1800s. Obviously, fine winemaking is in the DNA, with the INAUGURAL 2018 vintage - setting the bar high at 95 points - how is that for a fresh beginning?

Not exactly… With family roots that deep, the sources that make UKAN are as good as they get. Planted in 1940-1966, the 3 vineyards are all high-elevation in the smallest and most sought-after region of Rioja Alavesa, resulting in low yields, high skin-to-juice ratios, high but refined tannins, as well as intense, and concentrated flavors. While the monstrous bruisers of Artadi represent one camp of extreme modernity in Rioja and López de Heredia symbolizes the opposite extreme of ultra-traditionalism, UCAN’s style hits that delicate balance between them.

Incredible nuance and finesse, as well as great complexity, while it still feels young and with potential to improve for a long time in bottle. This is a breath of FRESH Rioja air, that somehow feels Bordelaise and Californian, too.

While Vinous has yet to wake up to UKAN, it’s exactly what they are talking about when they say “Today, Rioja has two speeds. The first is set by the big producers who are responsible for the region’s worldwide fame and its association with extensive oak aging. The second is the more dynamic side, where producers display pride in their place of origin and stylistic choices, more interested in bringing out individual characters than adhering to an established style.”

All that… AND 60% OFF?! While it lasts…

95 Points – Wine Enthusiast

“Dark-garnet in the glass, this wine has a nice note of flint alongside dark-berry aromas. It starts off as a fruit bomb and then fills the palate with dried Mediterranean herb flavors mingling with cool spice notes, all shrouded in a web of robust tannins.”