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| Country: | Spain |
| Region: | Rioja |
| Wineries: | Pago de Carraovejas AIURRI |
| Grape Type: | Tempranillo |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2022 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Aiurri Rioja is made from 80% Tempranillo, 15% Grenache, 5% Graciano.
Chalky, mineral and pure, with blood orange and blackberry fruit and scented oak. "Aroma: Complex and intense, where black fruits accompany spicy notes, highlighting black pepper and licorice. In the background, the notes of aging appear, with tones of dry tobacco and leaf litter. Taste: Powerful wine with good structure, but at the same time with notable freshness. It generates very pleasant and elegant tactile sensations. It is a wine where balance, concentration and sensations of fullness prevail. Color: Deep cherry color with a high layer."
Review:
Very well-made, a harmonious melange of fresh, plummy fruit with fine spices, warm bread and minerals. High-grade oak adds a bit of warmth. Medium- to full-bodied with firm tannins. Structured yet long. The wood tannins will integrate in two more years. Drinkable now but better from 2027.
-James Suckling 94 Points
The Pago de Carraovejas Estate
The Pago de Carraovejas winery was founded in 1988 and is located in the town of Peñafiel. Pago de Carraovejas means “the place where the sheep walk by”, a loose translation. The ongoing pursuit of excellence best defines the career of José María Ruiz, Pago's founder and principal shareholder. Working his way through the restaurant trade (cook, waiter & sommelier) in his hometown of Segovia; José María, founded his own restaurant in 1982 and it soon became one of the city's top-rated venues. The winery was a logical extension of José María insistence on serving his restaurant clients the very best. Today he not only makes his own top quality house wine; but also raises heritage-breed pigs for his culinary specialty: Segovia-style roast suckling pìg. The commercial success of the Pago de Carraovejas wines has been spectacular since the first vintage (1991) hit the streets in 1993. In addition to the 100,000 bottles opened annually at the restaurant, the wines have become a must for quality restaurant wine lists in all of Spain. Every vintage is quickly sold out and allocations continue to be hard to come by.
The Pago de Carraovejas Vineyards
Pago de Carraovejas is a single vineyard wine. The Finca comprises of 140 hectares, all red grapes and planted 75% to Tempranillo and 25% to Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines are situated on the southern flank of Carraovejas ridge at 850 meters above sea level. The local micro-climate is harsh and dry: cold winters, hot summers and an annual rainfall less than 400 mm. The soils are low in nutrients with a mix of limestone, chalk and sand. Carefully metered drip irrigation controls vine stress, which along with the terrain, soils and micro-climate, produces grapes of optimum concentration and ripeness, vintage after vintage.
Pago de Carraovejas Winemaking
Production is at 50,000 cases and the winery uses a 50 - 50 combination of French (Allier) and American (Ohio and Missouri) oak of which 33% is new oak each year. They currently make Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva styles, no Tinto Joven here. Only 10% of their wine is exported. The maceration of the reds occurs in fat stainless steel tanks suspended off of a single plane of waffled stainless. Enologist Almudena Calvo oversees the winemaking, based on a philosophy that revolves around 4 essential points:
1) the Pago de Carraovejas hillside terrain as the only source of grapes,
2) keeping grapes as undamaged as possible as they go into the fermenters,
3) Large skin contact surface in the fermenters (unique fermentation vessels),
4) 25% of the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aiurri Rioja is made from 80% Tempranillo, 15% Grenache, 5% Graciano.
Chalky, mineral and pure, with blood orange and blackberry fruit and scented oak. "Aroma: Complex and intense, where black fruits accompany spicy notes, highlighting black pepper and licorice. In the background, the notes of aging appear, with tones of dry tobacco and leaf litter. Taste: Powerful wine with good structure, but at the same time with notable freshness. It generates very pleasant and elegant tactile sensations. It is a wine where balance, concentration and sensations of fullness prevail. Color: Deep cherry color with a high layer."
Review:
"A superb first release from Ribera del Duero-based Pago de Carraovejas, Aiurri is effectively a village wine from Leza, using grapes from seven parcels in the village. Structured, layered and refreshing, it's an organically farmed field blend of Tempranillo with small amounts of red and white grapes. Chalky, mineral and pure, with blood orange and blackberry fruit and scented oak. 2025-32."
- Tim ATKIN (Rioja 2024 Special Report), 94 pts
Aiurri Salas Rioja is made from 80% Tempranillo and 20% Field Blend
Aroma: Very expressive on the nose, with good complexity, red fruit and fresh black fruit, spices and wild herbs. Flavor: Combination of freshness and complexity. Pleasant tannins, lots of fruit, long finish with great persistence. Color: Black Cherry with a Violet rim.
Review:
"A peppery Rioja that shows the graciano and monastrell touch to the field blend. Menthol, basil leaves, laurel, blackberries and a lot of spices. Tense and powdery tannins on the fine-boned, full-bodied palate. Drink or hold. - Zekun Shuai (Senior Editor)"
- James SUCKLING (September 11th 2024), 94 pts
Aroma: Expressiv and elegant, the aroma is dominated by red fruits with subtle undertones of black fruits, floral notes, and a hint of wood.Color: Cherry red color, clean and bright. Taste: The palate is elegant, with a fruity freshness and silky tannins.
The grapes from San Vicente were aged for nine months in foudres and French oak barrels of different sizes, while the wine from Leza was refined for twelve months in French oak barrels. After blending, the wine was aged for five months in concrete tanks. For further protection the wine contains sulphites.
Review:
"Black olives, dark cherries and some roasted herbs and spices. Firm, fine-grained tannins on the palate, with a chalky form. Medium- to full-bodied with a long, tense finish. Drink or hold. - Zekun Shuai (Senior Editor)"
- James SUCKLING (September 11th 2024), 92 pts
Burgo Viejo Rioja Crianza is made from 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano.
Red ruby colored wine with violet tones; well-balanced, black fruit, vanilla and coconut flavors. Powerful, complex and silky smooth...classic old style Rioja at a bargain price.
This wine is our tribute to the flagship grape variety of Rioja Baja. Garnacha has been grown in Alfaro for many
centuries in perfect balance with the local soils and climate which result in our intensely fruity wines,
full-bodied and with velvety soft tannins. Deep and brilliant cherry color; red wild berries, violet and subtle
spice on the nose; the taste sensation is rich, long, and very smooth.
Excellent when combined with red meat, pasta dishes and even chocolate desserts.
Burgo Viejo Rioja Tinto is made from 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha & 5% Mazuelo
Burgo Viejo Tinto comes from a careful selection of the grapes during the harvest followed by meticulous vinification to extract the highest potential of the grapes in an effort to achieve a fresh, powerful, fruit-driven young wine that will satisfy a wide range of palates.
The wine shows fresh aromas of red fruit –strawberry candy- on a very subtle background of sweet vanilla and cocoa. In mouth it is also fresh with balanced acidity, good length and absolutely velvety tannins.
Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature and malolactic fermentation in concrete vats.
Enjoy it with pasta dishes, cheese and red meat.
Fenocchio DOC Barbera d'Alba Superiore Bussia is made from 100 percent Barbera.
The color is a deep ruby red with garnet reflections. It has a rather intense bouquet, with scents typical of the vine and a full bodied and dry flavor, with a distinct and pleasing acidity. It becomes mature with aging, acquiring a full and balanced flavor.
Parcel is 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) planted at 300 meters above sea level.
It pairs well with red and white meats, tagliatelle pasta and cheeses.
Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore is made from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina grown at the Monte Lodoletta estate in the Val d'Illasi, eastern Valpolicella.
One of Italy's most iconic producers, Romano Dal Forno revolutionized Valpolicella winemaking with an obsessive pursuit of quality. The grapes are hand-harvested with meticulous selection, then dried for approximately 45 days in the estate's patented, computer-controlled appassimento rooms. After pressing, the wine is fermented in custom-designed stainless steel tanks and aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels, followed by extended bottle aging before release.
Deep ruby in color with aromas of blueberry, blackberry, cherry and cocoa. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate with powerful yet polished tannins, layers of dark fruit, sweet spice, tobacco and chocolate. Despite its remarkable concentration, the wine maintains an elegant freshness and balance. Pairs beautifully with grilled or roasted red meats, game and aged cheeses.
14.5% ABV
A perfumed and elegant wine with subtle aromas of balsamic, coconut, dark bramble fruit, jasmine, mulberries, red cherries and chocolate. It’s spicy rather than fruity. On the palate it shows salted chocolate flavors and a full body. It’s crisp, zesty and velvety, with creamy tannins and a graphite finish. It shows tension despite its concentrated style. It will be released in January 2027. Try then or hold.
-James Suckling 97 Points