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Urbina Crianza Rioja 2012 is a rare opportunity to buy a mature, fully developed Rioja Crianza at a genuinely accessible price. Made from 100% Tempranillo by the family-owned Bodegas Urbina, one of Rioja’s most traditional houses, with roots dating back to 1870, this is a wine that has been held back deliberately, in keeping with Urbina’s philosophy of only releasing wines when they are ready to drink rather than when the market dictates.
As single-estate wines, all of the wines are made from grapes sourced from estate vineyards. The vineyards are cultivated using traditional methods: harvesting is done by hand, and there is little or no use of weed killers and pesticides. Additionally, any fertilisers used are organic. Only indigenous yeasts are used in the wine-making process, which, combined with the terroir, gives Urbina wines their unique personality. Most recently, there has been a large investment in modern winery equipment, stainless steel fermentation tanks and a bottling plant.
The winery is located in the village of Cuzcurrita de Rio Tiron on the north-western boundary of DOC Rioja. The estate comprises 75 hectares of vineyards at two main vineyard sites. The first site is near the winery at Cuzcurrita de Rio Turon, an area well-known for producing Riojas capable of ageing for many years ideal for Gran Reservas. The other vineyards are located at Uruñuela, in the heart of the Rioja DOC, which consistently produces wines of great quality and body. The vineyards are planted with 65 hectares of Tempranillo and the remaining 10 hectares are planted with Graciano, Mazuelo and Viura.
The origins of Bodegas Urbina can be traced back to 1870 when Salvador Urbina first began producing wines using the Urbina name. In 1975, the family decided to bottle and age all of the wine they made themselves, rather than selling grapes to other wine producers, and the single-estate Urbina Rioja wines were created. Today, the winery remains family-owned and is run by the fourth generation, Angel, Pedro and Santiago.
The Bodega is well-known for ageing its wines for a lot longer than other Rioja producers before releasing them to the market. These wines are a must-try for fans of mature wines – there is no substitute for time!
Bodegas Urbina produces 300,000 bottles of red Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. These classic, elegant and stylish red Rioja wines have more recently been joined by a white Crianza, a white Reserva and a new sparkling wine called Valle del Angel Vintage Sparkling which is made from old vine Viura using the ‘Traditional Method’ (Champenoise).
Buy Urbina Crianza Rioja 2012 at Fareham Wine Cellar – one of the finest mature Rioja bargains currently available.
Urbina Crianza 2012 has a deep garnet in colour with a mature brick rim. On the nose, ripe dark plum, black cherry, and warm leather give way to classic balsamic, dried herbs, and a whisper of vanilla from the American oak. The palate is juicy, supple, and medium to full-bodied – ripe dark fruit layered with pepper spice, tobacco leaf, and a savoury earthiness that only comes with proper bottle age. The tannins are fully integrated and silky, the finish long and satisfying. A textbook example of mature Tempranillo drinking at its peak.
Urbina Crianza Rioja is a versatile partner for a range of dishes. It is great with traditional Spanish fare like roasted lamb, Patatas a la Riojana, and cured meats, as well as grilled vegetables
Beyond Spain, it complements roasted chicken, hearty pasta with meat sauces, earthy mushroom dishes, and pork loin,
For the cheeseboard, try with milder cheeses like Manchego.
92/100 Tim Atkin MW
90/100 Natalie MacLean
Unlike most Rioja producers who release their Crianza wines after just a couple of years, Bodegas Urbina cellars their wines at the estate, only releasing them to the market when they have achieved mature, peak drinking perfection. This gives you a rare opportunity to enjoy a beautifully developed, complex Rioja without having to cellar it yourself.
By law, a red Rioja Crianza must be aged for a minimum of 24 months, with at least 12 months in oak barrels. Bodegas Urbina exceeds these expectations with patient bottle ageing in their cellars before the wine leaves the estate.
While the Urbina Crianza 2012 is released fully developed and ready to be enjoyed immediately, it still has a few years in it, if cellared correctly.
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