Montebuena Rioja 2015

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:

"The young and creamy 2015 Crianza is mostly Tempranillo with 5% Garnacha, matured in French and American oak barrels for 12 to 14 months. It's ripe with moderate acidity and lactic aromas intermixed with cherries and vanilla. The palate is soft with juicy fruit and lush tannins. A crowd-pleaser and a great vintage. Great value too. They produce one million bottles of this. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #235, February 2018), 91+ pts

Dark ruby color. Aromas of cherry, currant, vanilla bean and hint of tar. Full-bodied, with flavors of cherries, cocoa powder and oak. A touch of sweetness on entry with a little bit of air with soft tannins that are starting to integrate well.

The latest step in the project is Vinsacro (formerly Valsacro) Dioro. The earlier Valsacros were made from a field selection of the older vineyards. Now, thanks to the new facility Amador has been able to build an upmarket version of Vinsacro (formerly Valsacro) with a four-stage selection process that includes an initial field selection of the fruit followed by a second table selection as the grapes come into the winery. After fermentation wine from selected tanks is transferred to new French oak barrels for 12-14 months of barrel age. Finally, the best barrels are set aside for Dioro and the remainder used to "upgrade" the normal Vinsacro.

Vinsacro Dioro is a blend of grapes from 100+ year old "vidau" vineyards where many varieties were planted together in the same plot.

Today the grapes are harvested and vinified separately. The final blend depends on the vintage but typically it's Tempranillo (50%), Garnacha (20%) and remaining 30% is a mix of mainly Graciano (10%) & Mazuelo (10%) with a little of Monastrell (5%) & Bobal (5%).

Review:

"The top of the range is the 2015 Vinsacro Dioro, a wine that is only produced in excellent vintages. It's a blend of 40% Vidau (the old field blend) plus 45% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo, from a slope in the south of the Monte Yerga called Cuesta la Reina, from a big, 120-hectare plot that has been with the Escudero family for generations. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel with a long maceration. It matured in new French (70%) and American oak barrels for 18 months. It's still very young and a little shy, with a reticent nose where the lactic and spicy aromas are intermixed with earthy and dark fruit aromas. The palate is full-bodied but perfectly balanced, compact, powerful and serious, with abundant tannins, extract and clout. This should develop nicely in bottle, given its stuffing and balance. An excellent, modern version of a classical Rioja. 20,000 bottles were filled in June 2017. - Luis Gutierrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #235, February 2018), 92 pts

Amaren Rioja 60 Tempranillo is made from 100% Tempranillo

Color:.Cherry red tones with high robe.
Nose: Fine, elegant and complex in the nose with good concentration of black fruit, subtle touches of creamy oak as well as hints of roasted coffee and minerals.
Palate: It is full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, with plenty of complexity and power. This wine shows black fruit jam and liquorice, firm structure and a long, delicious and persistent finish.
Food Pairings: Red meats, stews, game, cured cheeses.

"Brilliant ruby. Ripe, oak-accented blackberry and boysenberry compote scents are lifted by suggestions of black pepper, allspice and fresh lavender. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering energetic black and blue fruit flavors and hints of mocha and cola. A smoky mineral nuance adds cut and focus to the long, focused finish, which features velvety tannins and a repeating smokiness. - Josh Raynolds"
- Vinous (November 2015), 92 pts

"Dark plum and earthy notes as well as fresh vanilla and spiced cherry compote. Commanding tannins on the palate. Fruit and wood are well matched. Rich and intense. Drink now."
- James Suckling (Spain Tasting Report 2017), 91 pts