La Rioja Alta El Camino 2021 is a Tempranillo-led red from Rioja, Spain, and a deliberate change of pace from the bodega's long-aged Gran Reservas. It is made in a fresher, more contemporary style, built to be enjoyed on its fruit rather than on years of bottle development.

The nose is bright with red cherry, redcurrant and violet, with none of the cedar or leather character that marks the older wines in the range. On the palate the fruit is direct and juicy, carried by a lively, modern freshness rather than savoury complexity, with a touch of crushed pepper adding a little extra depth beneath the fruit.

Tannins are soft and approachable, acidity keeps the wine energetic, and the finish is clean and fruit-driven rather than long and spiced.

Its brightness makes it an easy match for tapas, chorizo, pizza or simple grilled chicken — food that wants a wine with lift rather than weight, rather than the richer, slow-cooked dishes suited to the bodega's Gran Reservas.

El Camino is built for drinking young, so there is no reason to hold it — it is at its most vivid within the next few years.