Rioja: Bodegas Altanza
Visit a unique Rioja winery and discover Altanza, a place where wine tourism goes far beyond a tour with tastings.
Structure
Drinking window
Latest scored vintage 2017: best 2025 to 2042.
vintage8 yrs25 yrs27 yrs
Critic scores
| Critic | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Atkin reviewed 2022 | 2017 | 94/100 |
Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.
In the glass
Aroma: black cherry, plum, violet, graphite, spice
Palate: dark fruit, fine tannin, mineral, fresh
A single-vineyard old-vine red from a steep Briones plot; structured, mineral and fresh, the estate's terroir flagship alongside Aurus.
What it pairs with
-
Chuleton de buey
Find chuleton de buey on TableJourney →
Aged-beef chop frames the fine tannin and dark fruit. -
Venison loin
Dark game meets the structured mineral frame. -
Aged Manchego
Hard cheese balances the grip.
How to serve Calvario
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Chuleton de buey, Venison loin, Aged Manchego. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Calvario is a single old-vine plot at Briones, the estate's site-driven prestige red.
- 1996: First Calvario vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Finca Allende · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Tempranillo (90%), Garnacha (7%), Graciano (3%)
- Classification
- DOCa Rioja
- Oak
- Around 20 months in new French oak
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 70 to 120 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 25 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1996
Frequently asked about Calvario
What does Calvario taste like?
On the nose, black cherry, plum, violet, graphite, spice. On the palate, dark fruit, fine tannin, mineral, fresh. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a long finish. A single-vineyard old-vine red from a steep Briones plot; structured, mineral and fresh, the estate's terroir flagship alongside Aurus.
When should I drink Calvario?
Drink 8 to 25 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Calvario?
Chuleton de buey is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Venison loin and Aged Manchego. Aged-beef chop frames the fine tannin and dark fruit.
Is Calvario vegan?
No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.
What grapes are in Calvario?
The blend is Tempranillo (90%), Garnacha (7%), Graciano (3%). The wine is classified as DOCa Rioja.
Tags
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