2017 Rioja Coleccion Privada, Vinedos Sierra Cantabria

Food Matching: Chorizo, black pudding, ham, pork dishes, sheep's cheese, lamb shanks and moussaka.

Vineyard: Celebrating their 150th anniversary, Sierra Cantabria are steeped in not just history, but innovation. With such iconic projects under their belt as Numanthia and San Vicente, they have revolutionised Rioja and as such many people revere Marcos Eguren, winemaker, to be the finest Spain has to offer. The Viñedos de Sierra Cantabria wines represent the ultimate expression of terroir and are all derived from individual plots of land with a unique story to tell within the zone of Sonsierra de San Vicente, as Marcos describes them, "Oenologival jewels"! The vineyards are very well protected from the North and having a sloping landscape from Sierra Cantabria to the Ebro river, with very good South and South-West sun exposure, providing an accentuated and unique identity. These particular parcels, spread out over just 4 hectares were planted in the 50's and are called Valgrande and Jarrarte and peak at around 460-480m altitude. With an average yield of 35hl/ha, the grapes are grown using a number of biodynamoc practices and are then hand harvested in small boxes when perfectly healthy and ripe. Further selection made in the winery using a sorting table under Marcos' meticulous eye. The grapes come from vineyards of over 50 years old from the Valgrande vineyard (at an altitude of 460m) and Jarrarte vineyard (480m), located in San Vicente de la Sonsierra. The soil is franc-clay in texture with calcareous-clay composition. Organic and Biodynamic practises are followed with a deep respect for the land.

Vinification: A blend of the past and present, this wine draws inspiration from Rioja before the french got involved! Before the heavy use use oak aging and the arrival of stainless steel, most rioja was a lighter style made using carbonic maceration (such as Beaujolais). This wine seeks to combine 50% carbonic maceration with 50% modern winemaking. The must goes throug a skin maceration period of 15 days. Daily pump-overs with diminishing frequency in the final days. Fermented with indegenous yeast selected from their own vineyards at controlled temperatures (23º C). The malolactic conversion takes place in barrel and where the wine ages for 16 months (50 % new French oak, 50 % American oak Bordelaise barrels). A truly innovative wine!

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