Bodegas Exopto Rioja Bozeto de Exopto 2023

Bozeto means ‘sketch’ or ‘outline’, and as the name implies this is Tom Puyaubert’s entry-level wine. It’s been designed as a lively, easy-drinking introduction to the range, and takes in a pan-regional expression of Rioja’s three principal grape varieties.

While most entry-level wines from this region today are based on Tempranillo (a variety both easier and more profitable to grow), here Garnacha represents 60% of the blend. This Garnacha hails from the sandy, river stone terroir of El Agudo—a 60-year-old plot at Alfaro on Monte Yerga (in Rioja Oriental). The Tempranillo is drawn from a selection of mature vines in Ábalos (high county Rioja Alta), and there is also some Ábalos Graciano, adding freshness and finesse. Puyaubert ferments this wine in a combination of concrete and steel tank, then ages it for six months in concrete and 5,000-litre oak vats. These days, Tom includes a measure of semi-carbonic maceration for extra buoyancy.