96+ Always a favourite of mine, the 2013 La Nieta is still extremely young and oaky, but this vineyard planted under the winery in the village of Páganos on very shallow soils that cushion the effect of the weather (even the excess of rain in 2013), produce a very consistent wine. Right now the nose is dominated by oak-related aromas: toasted wood, dark chocolate and espresso coffee; if you're patience enough, you can see the violets and acid berries underneath. And the palate shows a fresh wine with great acidity, a very fine texture and a long, mineral, tasty finish. I wouldn't touch this for a couple of years, because it should make a beautiful bottle of Rioja. It should have a very long life in bottle. 4,000 bottles produced. - Luis Gutierrez