6 bottle level         $30 (member price $27) 
80% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano, 5% Garnacha  14.0% ABV

Cerro Añon is Bodegas Olarra’s top lineup of wines, with this Gran Reserva being their flagship.  This is a very classy wine for the $$.  Most of the fruit is from Rioja Alta, with the rest from Rioja Alavesa.  Malolactic fermention in new French oak barrels, followed by two months on the lees.  The wine is racked off into French and American oak barrels (ranging from new to 5^th use) for 29 months, then bottled and stored for 43 months before release.  This 2018 is their current release.  The oak is nicely integrated (thanks to the extended bottle aging).  The fruit is fresh rather than baked.  Red cherry, red raspberry, blackberry, balsamic.  Full disclosure:  I’ve opened two bottles, and the corks have been a little spongy.  Open them gently and no worries.

Food Pairing Suggestions:
Serve this grand Spaniard with roasted lamb chops with mint pesto, Cuban style pork roast with saffron rice, veal and mushroom meatloaf with mashed potatoes, Spanish style Jamon Iberico, T-bone steak with all the trimmings, roasted chicken breast stuffed with peppers, caramelized onions, and goat cheese, Lamb Rogan Josh, hearty lasagna bolognese and just about any smoky chargrilled barbecue. After dinner, enjoy a glass with hard cheeses like Manchego, aged white Cheddar, or Parmesan served on crostini with Serrano ham and Marcona almonds.