Bodegas Señorío de Arana, Viña Del Oja Rioja Crianza 2021

Bodegas Señorío de Arana sits in the Rioja Alta, one of the appellation's cooler, higher-altitude sub-zones, where Tempranillo tends to hold its freshness rather than go all-in on ripeness. Their Viña del Oja Crianza spends the requisite year in oak — American barrels, in the traditional Riojan style — before further bottle ageing, and the result is exactly what you'd want from an honest, well-made Crianza: red cherry fruit, a dusting of dried thyme, and that warm vanilla sweetness that American oak brings without overdoing it. This is a wine that drinks well from the off and doesn't demand much of you beyond a decent glass and something from the grill.