" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Aiurri Salas Rioja 2021
Our Price: $149.00 $120.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $720.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $1,380.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $720.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $1,380.00
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| Country: | Spain |
| Region: | Rioja |
| Wineries: | Pago de Carraovejas AIURRI |
| Grape Type: | Tempranillo |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Product Description
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:
From one plot of clonally biodiverse old vines growing in rocky soils planted to mostly Tempranillo with a healthy amount of Graciano, Monastrell, and other grapes, the 2021 Salas was harvested in two phases two weeks apart. Highly rich in balsamic and spicy black pepper, the grape juice is black at harvest and remains super dark inky in color. Violet aromas permeate the medium-bodied core of earthy, crushed rock minerality from an intensely powerful vintage that benefitted from long aging in all new French oak barrels of different sizes for 18 months. After final blending, the wine was also given nine months in concrete amphorae and French oak. Drinking window 2031-2041.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
A peppery Rioja that shows the graciano and monastrell touch to the...
-James Suckling 94 Points
For reports and full tasting notes, go toTim Atkin MW's website.
-Tim Atkin 93 Points
The 2021 Sala comes from a Viñedo Singular in Rioja Alavesa and aged for 18 months, mostly in barrels, with a smaller portion in concrete. Garnet in hue, it delivers a fragrant nose of fresh fruit and balsamic notes. On the palate, it is concentrated yet silky with a broad, composed texture. This is a flavorful, elegant expression of Rioja Alavesa.
-Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous) 93 Points
Winery: Pago de Carraovejas
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.
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Dark purple color.
Complex aromas of predominent ripe red fruit such as plum, cherry and raspberry with spicy notes.
Chocolate and vanilla flavors from barrel ageing which provide complexity and elegance.
Wine of great lenght.
Red meats, lamb, beef stew, strong cheese.
Review:
The 2020 Malbec Icono, which incorporates 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, aged for up to 14 months in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. This purple wine showcases notes of violets and raspberry, along with plums and minty hints against a cedar backdrop. Dry, plush and velvety, the juicy and nimble palate lingers long with an intense fruit flavor. This is a well-crafted Malbec from a warm vintage.
-Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous) 94 Points
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...
-James Suckling 92 Points
The 2021 Landúa comes from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Rioja. This aged for one year in barrel, followed by six months in concrete. Garnet with a purplish sheen, it opens with clear, defined aromas of plum and cherry, accented by wild herbs and a subtle oaky backdrop. Broad on the palate, with chalky tannins that slightly constrict the finish, it maintains a juicy feel. The 2021 is a compelling red from a cool vintage.
-Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous) 92 Points
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 94 Points
From one plot of clonally biodiverse old vines growing in rocky soils planted to mostly Tempranillo with a healthy amount of Graciano, Monastrell, and other grapes, the 2021 Salas was harvested in two phases two weeks apart. Highly rich in balsamic and spicy black pepper, the grape juice is black at harvest and remains super dark inky in color. Violet aromas permeate the medium-bodied core of earthy, crushed rock minerality from an intensely powerful vintage that benefitted from long aging in all new French oak barrels of different sizes for 18 months. After final blending, the wine was also given nine months in concrete amphorae and French oak. Drinking window 2031-2041. - Virginie BOONE
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Dark chocolate, dried herbs and black cherries with plenty of fine-grained, chalky tannins. I love the austere aspect, which is more reactive and tense. Nothing floppy here, for sure. Quite long. Drink from 2025. - Zekun Shuai (Senior Editor)
-James Suckling 92 Points
Salas is the top wine in terms of price from Aiurri, sourced from a single 2.4-hectare parcel in the Rioja Alavesa village of Leza. Curated in one third new French oak, it has plenty of structure and concentration, aromas of mint and wild herbs, damson, coffee bean and black cherry flavours and a chalky acid-driven finish. 2025-35.
-Tim Atkin 93 Points
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Aiurri Salas Rioja is made from 80% Tempranillo and 20% field blend.
Aiurri is a small Rioja Alavesa project built around biodiverse, single-plot winemaking. The Salas bottling comes from one plot of clonally biodiverse old vines rooted in rocky soils — mostly Tempranillo alongside Graciano, Monastrell and a handful of field-blend grapes — harvested in two passes and raised in French oak of varying sizes, with a further spell in concrete amphorae after the final blend.
Aroma: very expressive and complex, with red and fresh black fruit, spice and wild herbs. Flavor: a balance of freshness and depth, with fine tannins, abundant fruit and a long, persistent finish. Color: black cherry with a violet rim.
Review:
-Joaquin Hidalgo (Vinous) 95 Points
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 94 Points
From one plot of clonally biodiverse old vines growing in rocky soils planted to mostly Tempranillo with a healthy amount of Graciano, Monastrell, and other grapes, the 2021 Salas was harvested in two phases two weeks apart. Highly rich in balsamic and spicy black pepper, the grape juice is black at harvest and remains super dark inky in color. Violet aromas permeate the medium-bodied core of earthy, crushed rock minerality from an intensely powerful vintage that benefitted from long aging in all new French oak barrels of different sizes for 18 months. After final blending, the wine was also given nine months in concrete amphorae and French oak. Drinking window 2031-2041. - Virginie BOONE
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Dark chocolate, dried herbs and black cherries with plenty of fine-grained, chalky tannins. I love the austere aspect, which is more reactive and tense. Nothing floppy here, for sure. Quite long. Drink from 2025. - Zekun Shuai (Senior Editor)
-James Suckling 92 Points
Salas is the top wine in terms of price from Aiurri, sourced from a single 2.4-hectare parcel in the Rioja Alavesa village of Leza. Curated in one third new French oak, it has plenty of structure and concentration, aromas of mint and wild herbs, damson, coffee bean and black cherry flavours and a chalky acid-driven finish. 2025-35.
-Tim Atkin 93 Points
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...
-James Suckling 92 Points
The 2021 Landúa comes from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Rioja. This aged for one year in barrel, followed by six months in concrete. Garnet with a purplish sheen, it opens with clear, defined aromas of plum and cherry, accented by wild herbs and a subtle oaky backdrop. Broad on the palate, with chalky tannins that slightly constrict the finish, it maintains a juicy feel. The 2021 is a compelling red from a cool vintage.
-Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous) 92 Points
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
Named after the Basque word for “made by hand,” the 2022 Landua comes from a mix of different nearby villages, all close to the mountains with influence from the Atlantic Ocean. Mostly Tempranillo, in the old-vine vineyards planted between 50 and 80 years ago there’s also Graciano, Garnacha, a few white varieties, and some unknown varieties that all go into the final bottle. Red fruit-forward, it is drinkable upon release, fermented in French oak foudres, with very soft, textured, and layered red fruit, graphite, a touch of herb, and an undeniably ethereal quality. It’s a pretty wine that should age well 10-12 years. - Virginie BOONE
-Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points
Licenciado Rioja Reserva 2021 is made from Tempranillo.
This single-vineyard wine comes from the same site used to make the Gran Reserva. Licenciado shows a ruby-red color with outstanding aromas of wild berries, vanilla and spice. The palate is well-balanced, rounded and elegant, offering black pepper, ripe black fruit and vanilla; its freshness, oak aging and extraction give it a longevity of at least ten years from the harvest. Bottled in 1.5-liter magnums.
Best enjoyed with red meat and game.
"Spicy peppercorns, black cherries, plums and a touch of cocoa powder. Medium-bodied with firm, fine tannins and an extensive finish. Drink now or hold." - James Suckling, 90 pts
Review:
Spicy peppercorns, black cherries, plums and a touch of cocoa powder. Medium-bodied...
-James Suckling 90 Points
Luis Canas Rioja Crianza is made from 95% Tempranillo and 5% Garnacha
A classic style Rioja from one of the regions most enduring family run wineries.. The hillside terraced vineyards are sheltered by the Sierra Cantabria Mountains to the north from harsh weather extremes. Small plot production is utilized in this region of infertile chalky clay soil to produce clusters of excellent quality. Almost 900 plots are needed to complete the approximately 400 hectares of estate-owned or cellar-controlled vineyards, some with vines more than 100 years in age.
Tasting notes
Made from 95% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha of 30 years of age, the wine shows a ruby red color, a clean nose with nuances of balsamic, plum and cedar. The palate is smooth and velvety, complex and structured, with fruit, spice flavors with toasted oak. A pleasant finish with red fruits and hints of eucalyptus.
The harvest
This year in Rioja Alavesa the weather has been especially cold, the summer short and dry, and there has been plenty of rain in early September. This has produced wines with great aromatic notes, particularly those coming from high altitude areas, very fragrant and with great structure.
Winemaking and aging
Upon entering the bodega and passing the selection table, the grapes are de-stemmed and crushed before undergoing fermentation and then maceration in stainless steel tanks for a total of 8 days, obtaining better color extraction as well as much more complex wines, suitable for prolonged aging. The wine is clarified with vegetable gelatines and follows anicrobic filtration.
It is ideal to pair with meats; red meat, poultry, small game, oily fish, semi-cured cheeses, spicy dishes and hot dishes such as beans or potatoes Rioja style.
After its primary fermentation, the wine is placed in barrels where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged for a minimum of 12 months. It is then bottled for at least another 12 months.
Review:
"Juicy Bing cherries, peppery herbs, leather, and cedarwood notes all emerge from the 2021 Rioja Crianza, a medium-bodied, concentrated, round, layered red that has supple tannins, beautiful fruit, and a great finish. This classic Rioja has tons to love."
- Jeb Dunnuck (Importer Highlight: Fran Kysela ; July 2024), 91 pts
-Decanter 93 Points
- back
Bertani Valpantena Amarone is made from 80% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella.
The best grapes are selected so that only the healthiest and ripest bunches are sent to the drying rooms in the historic winery at Grezzana, where they are laid out in single-layer crates. In mid- January, the grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermentation starts, at first at a temperature of 39°F- 41°F, which then reaches 72°F in the final stages.
WINEMAKING
The vines are vertical-trellised and Guyot-trained, with a planting density of 2024 plants per acre. Hand harvest is carried out in the middle of September.
This amarone is produced in the Valpantena hills, north of Verona. The soils are calcareous-marl in the east and calcareous-clay in the west, rich in iron.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES
Bertani’s impact on Veneto wine making, particularly in Amarone production, is so considerable that ‘Bertani’ and ‘Amarone’ are nearly synonymous. Their 150+ year history is dotted with groundbreaking initiatives and royal accreditation. While respectful of their past, Bertani strives towards innovation, using progressive techniques and equipment allied with extensive experience and a deeply felt respect for tradition to provide wines of uncompromising quality.
On the nose, marked and intense aromas of very ripe cherries, sour cherries, spicy and nutty notes typical of the Valpantena. Good follow-through of red fruits on the palate, with supple tannins to give depth. This full bodied wine pairs well with rich dishes, mature cheeses and strong-flavored meats.
Alain Jaume Cairanne Les Travees is made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
The selected vines for this cuvée sit on south-facing slopes in Cairanne, one of the southern Rhône's finest villages.
The wine delivers an intense nose of black fruit. Full and concentrated on the palate with silky tannins, it reveals blackcurrant and cherry before a finish carrying the pepper and earthy notes typical of Cairanne. Enjoy with roasted lamb, braised or grilled pork, or a mild cheese such as brie or camembert.
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