What makes a wine special? Probably, a set of characteristics which endow such wine with own character.
However... Are these characteristics objective or subjective? As is often the case in the mixture of objectivity and subjectivity, of reason and emotion, it is often the case in the mixture of objectivity and subjectivity, of reason and emotion, where sublime results.
To create this list with 5 special Rioja wines we asked the winemakers themselves which of their wines they consider to be the most special. A decision that has certainly not been easy, nor comfortable.
1. Grain by Grain, Bodegas Fernández Eguíluz
From Ábalos the family Fernández Eguíluz is clear about what is its most special wine. And although data often fall short in describing a wine, in this case 2 of them are particularly significant: the 550 kilos of grapes used in its production and the 166 hours of hand-picking.
A treat for to give visibility to the potential and character of the old vineyard. Centenary goblet-grown Tempranillos from the middle and upper areas of Ábalos, San Prudencio, El Parrujal and El Herrón.
With a ageing in new French oak barrels 14 months, the first vintage to be produced was 2016 with 526 bottles available for tasting.
The label is a watercolour by José Uriszar riojalteño artist which is placed on the bottlenot glued, so you can keep it as a souvenir if you wish.
2. El Sueño de Amado by Bodegas Ilurce
From Alfaro, the easternmost part of the designation of origin, the Ilurce family chooses as its most special wine Beloved's Dream The story behind this wine is like something out of a movie.
At 1918 Amador who was known to all as Amado celebrated his wedding and went with Julia, his wife, to Valencia for their honeymoon.
The destination was no coincidence, as they knew that students were starting to be trained there in oenology, (The people of yesteryear did not leave no stone unturned).
As a souvenir of the trip they brought back to La Rioja a sheaf of vine shoots with local varieties: bobal and a white variety.
On his return grafted these shoots in the La Casilla de Cabezorroyo vineyard, planted in 1916 a centenary vineyard with a unique story behind it that today you can enjoy El Sueño de Amado.
The grape harvest is refrigera The grapes enter the vat at between 4 and 6 ºC, achieving a cold pre-fermentation maceration to obtain the maximum extraction of colour and aromas. The wine is then fermented in stainless steel tanks. new French oak barrels for ageing for 12 months.
3. Valenciso White 2022
From Valenciso in Ollauri choose as their most special wine VALENCISO White 2022 for being a wine that surprises. "It is difficult to find wines that surprise and our white VALENCISO does". Carmen assures us.
From old payments of Ollauri, Haro, and Villalba grown at ecological, in the north of the Rioja Alta and soils between 507 and 610 metres.
Mixture of viura and garnacha blanca Aged for 8 months in oak barrels.
This wine stands out in the mouth for its texture, very elegant and round. A subtle and diverse nose. With great balance between fruit and oakThis is a very fine wine, which allows an evolution towards creaminess and richness of nuances.
Recently chosen as one of the best Rioja wines to accompany the dinner that the Michelin star chefs from La Rioja The UNWTO was held in Logroño last November. Also chosen in El País as one of the 8 most promising whites from La Rioja.
4. Betolaza Winery
From Briones the brothers Betolaza are clear that Resaco, his "garnachero grandfather".is the most special wine they make.
The family does not know the exact date of the planting of this unique plot of land located on the banks of the Ebro river between the towns of Briones and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. However, it is believed to have been before the spring of 1920.
This terroir occupies a plot of 0.26 hectaresIt is divided in two by a bank, with a flat terrain, without boulders, with sandy soil in the northern part thanks to the sand that has been deposited after the floods of the Ebro and with spontaneous vegetation since do not use herbicides.
A century and 5 generations then resaco is born a 1920's homeland with night-time harvesting and hand-harvesting, which has become the most special wine of this family winery.
5. Rulei Viña Barracallo Renques of Chenin
From Badaran Adrian does not hesitate to choose which is his most special wine, and that is that his white wine Renques de Chenin is unique and exclusive in the DOC Rioja.
It comes from a Chenin Blanc vineyard called Viña Barracallo, the French white variety of the Loire Valley, planted with experimental permission. in 1985.
This very special white passes 6 months in new French oak barrels 225l. Subsequently it rests 10 months in concrete before bottling.
The result, 651 unique bottles.
6. El Capricho de Ana by Bodegas Ruiz Alfaya
For Ana Fernández, oenologist and owner of Ruiz AlfayaTheir most special wine is El Capricho de Ana for a double reason.
Firstly, because it is a very personal wine that the winemaker decided to bottle with the 2021 vintage because it was a spectacular vintage for Garnacha and she decided that this vineyard had to be produced separately.
And secondly, because when it came to bottling it, he decided to call the Asociacion Contra el Cáncer to collaborate with this wine with all the women who fight breast cancer on a daily basis.
The result, 1000 bottles of Garnacha in solidarity.
7. Ama y Ensancha el Alma Tinto by La Bodeguita Escondida
The project of La Bodeguita Escondida was born when we tasted aged wines that respected all of the aromas and flavours that a good grape could give. Over the years we managed to find the grapes that would give us the possibility of making the wine we were looking for.
Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano from OllauriRioja Alta, from clay-limestone soils and a low production vineyard. Harvested by hand in crates and fermented in 500-litre tanks before ageing during 22 months in used barrels French and American oak. To be released for sale after at least 24 months of bottle ageing in our cellar. draft.
On the palate, it stands out for its intensity in black fruits It is assembled in perfect balance with the spicy notes from its time in oak and the silkiness and finesse provided by the Tempranillo of this magnificent Terroir.
With our range of "Ama y ensancha el Alma" we also achieved another objective that we set ourselves when we created La Bodeguita Escondida, which was to be also La Bodeguita Solidaria.
8. Km 458 of Bodegas Heredad Martínez Castillo
From Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón, Heredad Martínez Castillo Winery makes its most special wine Km 458.
This family-run winery produces a limited edition of 1136 bottles This is the first vintage of this wine, whose first vintage was in 2015.
It is a wine with strong identity The winemaking process begins with the selection and monitoring of the bunches, both in the field and in the winery. Bunches of the varieties tempranillo, mazuelo and graciano.
The fermentation has been carried out in temperature-controlled tanks and then left to age in French and American oak barrels for 24 months.
As a curiosity, the label leaf is drawn with the wine itself.
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