0 items £0.00
Bodegas Amaren Ángeles de Amaren Rioja is a concentrated yet beautifully fresh Rioja Alavesa, made from old-vine Tempranillo with a small but important proportion of Graciano. Ripe blackberry, plum and liquorice meet balsamic, menthol and spicy notes, with polished oak and silky tannins adding depth and structure.
The Graciano is much more than a supporting grape, bringing aromatic lift and freshness to the richer Tempranillo fruit. The result is a serious, complex Rioja with power and concentration, but also the tension and individuality to keep that richness beautifully balanced.
Ángeles de Amaren combines the concentration of old-vine Rioja Alavesa with an unusually expressive freshness. Blackberry, plum and liquorice provide richness and depth, while balsamic, menthol and spicy notes bring lift and individuality.
Tempranillo forms the heart of the wine, but Graciano plays a particularly important role. Although only a small proportion of the blend, it contributes freshness, aromatic intensity and tension, helping to create a powerful Rioja that remains elegant and beautifully balanced.
Merchant's Tip
This is particularly interesting if you enjoy serious, structured Rioja but don't want concentration to mean heaviness. The Graciano makes a real difference, lifting the darker Tempranillo fruit and giving the wine a fresher, more aromatic character. It's also an excellent way to discover what Graciano can contribute to a blend without jumping straight into a 100% Graciano Rioja.
Nose
Concentrated blackberry, black cherry and ripe plum with violet, liquorice, balsamic and menthol notes, followed by sweet spice, cocoa and restrained toasted oak.
Palate
Full-bodied and structured, with generous dark fruit balanced by lively freshness and fine, velvety tannins. Liquorice, herbs, cocoa, cedar and spice add complexity without obscuring the fruit.
Finish
Long and refined, with persistent dark fruit, balsamic freshness, spice and a subtle mineral character.
Choose this if you want a serious, concentrated Rioja with plenty of structure and complexity, but still value freshness and aromatic character. It has the richness expected from old-vine Tempranillo and substantial maturation, yet the Graciano gives it an additional dimension of freshness, fragrance and tension.
If you're interested in Graciano but aren't necessarily looking for a wine made entirely from the grape, Ángeles de Amaren is particularly revealing. Our Graciano guide explains why this traditional Rioja variety can have such an important influence even when it represents only part of a blend.
The fruit comes from small, low-yielding old vineyards around Samaniego and Leza in Rioja Alavesa, with vines averaging more than 55 years of age. Tempranillo provides the wine's concentrated dark fruit, depth and structure, while the Graciano comes from the Cantarranas vineyard and contributes freshness, fragrance and distinctive balsamic character.
The two varieties are treated separately during winemaking. Tempranillo ferments in concrete while Graciano ferments in French-oak vats, allowing their different characteristics to develop before the final wine is assembled.
Maturation combines French, American and Hungarian oak with a smaller proportion of wine retained in concrete. This builds spice, texture and complexity while preserving the freshness and fruit that prevent the finished wine from becoming dominated by either concentration or oak.
Its combination of concentrated fruit, freshness and fine tannins makes this an excellent partner for roast lamb, ribeye steak, Iberian pork and game. Its earthy and savoury elements also work particularly well with mushroom dishes and mature Manchego.
Serve at around 16–18°C. Giving the wine some time in a large glass will allow its dark fruit, balsamic character and more subtle spice to emerge.
For more ideas, our Rioja Food Pairing Guide explores how different styles of Rioja work at the table.
Ángeles de Amaren earns its place because concentration isn't its only story. Old vineyards provide the depth and structure expected of a serious Rioja Alavesa, but the carefully handled Graciano introduces freshness and aromatic individuality that materially changes the finished wine.
That makes it particularly useful within our range for someone who wants a substantial, ambitious Rioja but values freshness and distinction as much as sheer richness or oak complexity.
If the freshness and aromatic character contributed by Graciano particularly interests you, our Graciano guide explores the grape and the different roles it can play in Rioja.
If you're still deciding which more individual or ambitious style of Rioja suits you, explore our Premium & Special-Cuvée Rioja collection, where the different reasons for choosing these wines can be compared.
We can ship your order to all UK mainland addresses, usually on a next day delivery.
Our shipping fee is typically £5.95 for a single item order, and a maximum of £7.50 for all other orders. Delivery fees are calculated during check-out.
If your delivery address is local, delivery is free, delivered on the same day you order. Alternatively, you can collect it from our shop.
Click here for cut off times and full details of our courier service.
It is an offence for a person under the age of 18 to buy or attempt to buy alcohol. By making a purchase, you acknowledge that you are 18 years of age or over.