2018 Norte Rioja, Bodegas Y Viñedos Pujanza

Inky ruby with violet highlights, Norte is intense from the start with aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, and wild herbs layered with graphite, spice, and a subtle floral lift. The palate is powerful yet precise, dense dark fruit wrapped in taut acidity and firm, sculpted tannins. There’s a cool, stony thread running through, carrying the wine to a long, mineral-driven finish that speaks of its mountain terroir.

For when: you want Rioja with altitude, attitude, and staying power.
Pairs with: ribeye steak, roast venison, or slow-cooked lamb shoulder.
If this wine were a landscape, it’d be a dramatic limestone ridge against a clear blue sky.

Pujanza’s Norte comes from a single 2.7-hectare vineyard planted at 720m – one of the highest in Rioja Alavesa – where Tempranillo grows on thin limestone soils under extreme conditions. It’s a wine of focus, depth, and striking individuality, showing why Pujanza has become a benchmark for modern Rioja.