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 2039.
vintage8 yrs22 yrs24 yrs
Critic scores
| Critic | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Atkin reviewed 2022 | 2017 | 93/100 |
Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.
In the glass
Aroma: black cherry, cassis, mocha, cedar, mineral
Palate: dark fruit, fine tannin, graphite, savoury
The house's prestige old-vine Tempranillo: dark, polished and mineral, aged in new French oak, the flagship of the Haro estate.
What it pairs with
-
Chuleton de buey a la brasa
Find chuleton de buey a la brasa on TableJourney →
Char-grilled beef matches the firm tannin and mocha oak. -
Venison loin
Dark game meets the cassis-and-graphite density. -
Aged Manchego
Hard cheese balances the structure.
How to serve Mirto
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 a la brasa, Venison loin, Aged Manchego. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Mirto is the house's prestige old-vine Tempranillo, the flagship red.
- 1999: First Mirto vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Bodegas Ramon Bilbao · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Tempranillo (100%)
- Classification
- DOCa Rioja
- Oak
- Around 20 months in new French oak
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 30 to 55 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 22 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1999
Frequently asked about Mirto
What does Mirto taste like?
On the nose, black cherry, cassis, mocha, cedar, mineral. On the palate, dark fruit, fine tannin, graphite, savoury. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a long finish. The house's prestige old-vine Tempranillo: dark, polished and mineral, aged in new French oak, the flagship of the Haro estate.
When should I drink Mirto?
Drink 8 to 22 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Mirto?
Chuleton de buey a la brasa is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Venison loin and Aged Manchego. Char-grilled beef matches the firm tannin and mocha oak.
Is Mirto 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 Mirto?
The blend is Tempranillo (100%). The wine is classified as DOCa Rioja.
Tags
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