The 2011 Norte is sourced from a 2.7-hectare vineyard called San Roman planted with Tempranillo at 720 meters altitude, which is pushing the envelope a bit too much for the ripening of the grape in Laguardia. Norte is like its nickname because there is a high north wind in the vineyard. The oak is still in the foreground, which is understandable because the wine was bottled just one and a half months ago and some 30% of the barrels used are new. The toasted and smoky notes give way to fresh fruit aromas and then the palate reveals a powerful, but at the same time, elegant wine that is somehow austere, mineral, with good tension. It will need some time to achieve a better integration of the oak, but it should develop very nicely. A modern Rioja that whispers? Drink 2016-2026. Carlos San Pedro, who is the man behind Pujanza, started 15 years ago after working with his father where he acquired vast experience (the last year he worked with his father he fermented 11 million kilos of grapes!). The initial idea with Pujanza was to produce one single wine, from Laguardia, but they have different soils so they changed their mind and are making separate vinifications by types of soil, and little by little they have identified some vineyards and are going to bottle them separately. Carlos uses no external yeasts, and he-s reducing the amount of new wood and also keeping the wines for longer in (used) barrels aiming at respecting the character of each of the vineyards. They have close to 30 hectares of vines, all close to the winery located between 600 (Cisma) and 720 meters (Norte) altitude. Imported by Grapes Of Spain, Lorton, VA; tel. (571) 642-0343; www.grapesofspain.com