Juan Peñagarikano sold cooling equipment to wineries in the 1970s. In the course of doing business he spent time in the cellars at La Rioja Alta and CVNE, talking with winemakers. He fell naturally into the wine business, planting a vineyard in 1975 and the stable next door which he converted into a winery shortly after. From the beginning, Akutain has been a small batch operation, and the vines are all at very high elevation, from 400 to 700 meters. When they age their wines in American oak, it’s well used American oak that doesn’t dominate the fruit flavor. For this entry level Cosecha – first made by Juan’s son Jon – they use only fiberglass for both fermentation and elevage before bottling. The pristine pure fruit shows through in technicolor aromas of black cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant, with notes of black soil and orange zest and a hint of smoked meat. The palate is filled with cherries and currants and cranberry tart, with dried herbs and orange oil mixed with gentle tannins. Dusty fruit lingers on the finish, suited for bites of pulled pork, risottos and meaty paellas.