Olivier Riviere "A Broglie" 2022 Bordeaux

Olivier Riviere was born just south of Bordeaux in Cognac and has made wine first in Bordeaux, then Burgundy but it was in Spain’s Rioja region that he became kind of a rock-star winemaker. Using the tools he learned in Burgundy about how important specific terroirs are to the finished wine. He longed to return home and now spends his time going back and forth from Spain to France. I was astounded by how elegant this wine is. Made from 100% Merlot you get showy fruit, nice pencil shaving notes and some haunting spice. Graceful tannin with a long finish.