Organic Wine

Ossian Quintaluna Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo

Quintaluna is a young wine that is made exclusively from Verdejo in the province of Segovia. 60% is very old grape: pre-phylloxera (ungrafted). 40% is made of very young grapes on trellises, grown certified organic, with low yields. The key to success for the Verdejo grape is held in the soil. Ideal soil has a high content of sand and pebbles of different sizes. Some have higher proportions of clay and others have significant proportions of clay and limestone. As the pebbles and sand allow for good drainage, the clay holds enough moisture to allow the vines to thrive.

The color is a straw yellow with greenish reflections. On the nose, you will find aromas of white flowers, stone fruit (peach), and citrus (lemon, mandarin). It also displays tropical fruit aromas. The palate is complex. Natural acidity is evident in the freshness and length on the palate. Almond and ripe fruit flavors are found in the mid-palate with fresh grass and citrus on the finish.

It pairs wells with all kinds of appetizers, entrees and salads.

Review:

"The 2020 Quintaluna is pure Verdejo from small plots on sandy soils in the province of Segovia, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. They still use grapes from external suppliers but are working toward using 100% their own grapes (which they might achieve in 2023); therefore, the wine is not certified organic, because some of the vineyards from the growers are not certified. It has a balsamic nose reminiscent of bay leaf, dried yellow flowers, chamomile and pollen intermixed with pit fruit. It has a dry palate and a chalky texture, with balance and finesse, with moderate ripeness and 13.5% alcohol. 110,000 bottles. - Luis GUTIERREZ"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (January 31st 2023), 92 pts

A barrel fermented, old vines Verdejo made in a style different from what we typically see in this white varietal. It has a remarkable complexity, resulting in the smoothness and depth of a high-end white. Very suitable for cellaring.

Golden yellow color with greenish reflections. Complex, toasty aromas of nuts & dried fruit. Large, creamy, spicy, balanced and voluminous.

Rice with fish, cooked seafood, grilled seafood, baked white fish.

"The eponymous 2020 Ossian was produced with Verdejo grapes from old, organically farmed vines around the village of Nieva (Segovia), a zone where phylloxera didn't reach. They consider 2020 their finest vintage to date, with a big change from 2018 and when they have achieved a much better understanding of their vineyards. It has notes of pit fruit and sweet spices, with good weight on the palate, moderate alcohol (13.5%) and ripeness and good freshness and balance. It's serious and with potential to develop in bottle. 80,000 bottles produced. - Luis GUTIERREZ"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (January 31st 2023), 94 pts

The nose leads with a bright pop of red fruit, including cherry and raspberry, followed by hints of cola and baking spices and a light herbal note. The palate shows darker fruit including blueberry and plum, and has a round mouth feel with firm, mouthwatering tannins. The finish brings a dark chocolate note and a long, lingering finish. 

Review:

Meaty and dark-fruited nose. Full-bodied with slightly chewy tannins. I like the bright acidity and definition of fruit on the palate here. Lifted and juicy. Delicious.

-James Suckling 93 Points

Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.

But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.

Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.

It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape. 

In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.

Vineyard: 

Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero. 

Variety composition: 

100% Tempranillo.

Type of soil: 

Clayey and chalky. 

Aging: 

12 months in barrel and remainder on rack.

Type of oak: 

100% French oak, medium toast.

Serving: 

Uncork and decant one hour before serving at a temperature of 16-18 ºC.

Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.

The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.

The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.

 Review:

"A wonderfully polished expression of Ribera del Duero's match-up of power and high-plain freshness, this still has gorgeous intensity of finger-staining blackberry and mullberry succulence, a shading of expensive, fine-grained, toasty oak and satisfyingly savoury tannins all coming together to match the meat coming off the wood-fired grill. - David WILLIAMS"

- Decanter (December 14th 2022), 94 pts

Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.

But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.

Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.

It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape. 

In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.

Vineyard: 

Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero. 

Variety composition: 

100% Tempranillo.

Type of soil: 

Clayey and chalky. 

Aging: 

12 months in barrel and remainder on rack.

Type of oak: 

100% French oak, medium toast.

Serving: 

Uncork and decant one hour before serving at a temperature of 16-18 ºC.

Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.

The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.

The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.

This is a single vineyard, from the parcel "El Nogal" located in the town of Mambrilla de Castrejon grown at 850 meters above sea level. (2750 feet).

A hillside of tinto fino vines red in the village of Mambrilla, a short distance from the winery. Uninterrupted views of the Duero, the wind stirring the airy branches of the large walnut tree that guards the vineyard. A place with a special gift. Its sandy, stony soils, a feeling of harmony and a special microclimate: everything seems to enhance the talent of its surroundings.

We have been vinifying the evocative grapes of this plot for the past few years to produce an endlessly charming wine. Overwhelming, powerful and exquisite. With a vitalising force.

Review: