COMPOSITION: 100% Tempranillo

TASTING NOTES: SPECTATOR says: “Expressive and harmonious, this modern red balances plum, cassis, coffee, mineral and herb flavors in a plush texture, with graceful tannins and a finish accented with spice and lilac. Drink now through 2012. 3,000 cases imported. 90 points.”
- Wine Specatator

ABOUT THE WINE:
Hand-harvested grapes are fermented in open tanks. Fermentation lasts 15 days, after which the wine is held in tanks for 10 months. The wine is moved to oak barrels where it spends the next 13 months. The winery owns 480 barrels of which 50% are Virginian oak and 50% Allier. The wine is lightly fined and bottled without filtration or cold stabilization. The wine rests in bottle for 6 months before release.  (more info)

COMPOSITION: 100% Tempranillo

TASTING NOTES: SPECTATOR says: “Expressive and harmonious, this modern red balances plum, cassis, coffee, mineral and herb flavors in a plush texture, with graceful tannins and a finish accented with spice and lilac. Drink now through 2012. 3,000 cases imported. 90 points.”
- Wine Specatator

ABOUT THE WINE:
Hand-harvested grapes are fermented in open tanks. Fermentation lasts 15 days, after which the wine is held in tanks for 10 months. The wine is moved to oak barrels where it spends the next 13 months. The winery owns 480 barrels of which 50% are Virginian oak and 50% Allier. The wine is lightly fined and bottled without filtration or cold stabilization. The wine rests in bottle for 6 months before release.

Source : The family’s estate of 60 acres (25 ha) in Briones. Vineyards are situated on both slopes on the hill. Some vineyards face north/northeast, others face south/southeast. They are planted with a density of 1,250 vines/acre (3,000 vines per ha). The grapes are multi-clonal selections of old Tempranillo which produce smaller berries and yields. The vineyards are 1,440-1,680 feet in elevation (480 to 560 m).

Climate: Typical of Rioja Alta, the climate is continental with Atlantic influences. Rains are normally in the winter and spring, with the prevailing winds from the north/northeast. Therefore, this creates two distinct microclimates for the vineyards because of their different exposures. The vineyards which face the north/northeast are buffeted by the Atlantic winds that carry moisture and help to moderate the temperature. These vines produce grapes which are higher in acidity and more aromatic. The vineyards in the south/southwest slope produce grapes with higher alcohol levels and lower acidity.  (less info)