Bright, juicy and effortlessly appealing, the 2024 Cueva de Lobos Tinto is Rioja at its most charming and contemporary. Made primarily from Tempranillo grown in the Alavesa subregion, it opens with expressive aromas of ripe red cherry, strawberry and plum, laced with soft notes of vanilla, violet and sweet spice. The palate is silky and vibrant, bursting with red fruit freshness, supple tannins and a touch of oak roundness that gives just enough polish. The finish is smooth and lively, leaving a trail of spice and juicy red berry. Easy to love, impossible to forget.

For when: you want a red that’s as relaxed as it is stylish.
Pairs with: tapas, pizza, or chargrilled chicken with smoky paprika.
If this wine were a person, it’d be the friend who never turns down a night out, fun, genuine, and effortlessly cool.

Bodegas Javier San Pedro Ortega, based in Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, is one of the region’s most dynamic young projects, a modern family winery built on deep local roots. Descended from five generations of Rioja growers, Javier San Pedro established his own cellar at just 25 years old, combining the precision of tradition with an adventurous, forward-looking style.

The estate’s vineyards, planted primarily to Tempranillo, span high-altitude sites with chalky-clay soils that lend elegance and freshness to the fruit. In the cellar, Javier focuses on minimal intervention, spontaneous fermentation, and gentle oak use to highlight purity and texture. The Cueva de Lobos range (literally “wolf’s den”) is his playful side, wines crafted for pure enjoyment rather than formality. The 2024 Tinto perfectly captures that spirit: vibrant, expressive, and deliciously Rioja, but with a modern, easy-going twist.