Vinsacro Dioro Rioja 2010
| Country: | Spain |
| Region: | Rioja |
| Grape Type: | Tempranillo |
| Winery: | Valsacro |
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:
"Bright purple. Potent dark berry aromas are complicated by notes of vanilla, pipe tobacco and woodsmoke. Fresh and precise, with densely packed black raspberry and cola flavors that opening nicely with air. Gentle tannins build slowly on the clinging finish, with the raspberry and smoke notes echoing. - Josh Raynolds"
- Steven Tanzer ‘s International Wine Cellar (September / October 2014), 91 pts
The 2010 Vinsacro Dioro opens to an explosion of flowers and ripe blueberries that is very perfumed. It feels quite modern and aromatic with well-integrated oak and a luscious palate. This is produced from a field blend they call Vidau, which, in their case it is approximately 50% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo and a myriad of other grapes like Graciano and even Monastrell. The wine aged in brand new French oak barrels for 17 months, and it's clearly a high-end wine with aspirations. 35,000 bottles. Wine Advocate 92 Points
The Valsacro Estate
The Escudero family has been making wine and growing grapes for generations in the rugged, semi-desert foothills around Grávalos in the southwestern corner of the Rioja Baja region. Over the last 15 years or so, the Escudero brothers led by Bordeaux-trained winemaker Amador have transformed the small family "bodega" into a major Rioja wine producer. The changes have come gradually and in addition to the new winery at Pradejón (near Calahorra) they have greatly extended vineyard acreage, a very successful "cava" sparkling wine venture (one of the few non-Catalonian cava makers), and extensive Chardonnay plantings (disallowed in Rioja, but OK for cava). Amador, now in his mid-forties, is not one to shy away from taking risks to make things happen. The Valsacro project is an excellent case in point.
"One of the most adventuresome of "new Rioja" producers; amazing Dioro selection has explosive fruit; new project in Navarra called Logos bears watching."
- Anthony Dias Blue's pocket guide to wine 2006
The Valsacro Vineyards
Operating from the small Grávalos facility, Amador realized that some of his vineyards offered the potential to do something better (and different). These old vineyards, some over 100 years planted in the old fashioned "vidau" style offered the kind of raw material needed to make a modern-style premium wine - a Rioja with a difference. ["Vidau" is a mixed variety vineyard - a field blend ready to pick.] The vineyards include Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano & Garnacha. A typical Valsacro is about 40% "vidau" (majority is Garnacha with Tempranillo & Garnacha), 50% Tempranillo from 28 year old vines and 10% Mazuela (Carignan) from 25 year old vines.
TASTING NOTES:
A black cherry color with intense violet hues. Aromas are dominated by ripe red fruits, minerals and blue flowers. Fine, concentrated and exquisite on the palate, it is fleshy, fragrant, and full bodied.
Grape varietal: 100% Mencia
Average age of the vines: 45-55 years
Vineyard's altitude: 450-480 meters above sea level
Pre-fermentation maceration: 3-5 days at 4-6 degres celcius
Alcoholic fermentation: 6-10 days
Maceration: 4-10 days
Malolactic fermentation: 5-9 days
Ageing: 2 months in stainless steel tank and then 2 months in the bottle.
Review:
"A silky texture carries harmonious, if somewhat muted, flavors of red plum, tobacco, sage and mineral in this focused red. Light, well-integrated tannins and lively acidity give this balance. Should bloom in a year or two. Drink now through 2024. 1,500 cases made. – T.M."
- Wine Spectator (April 30th, 2018), 91 points
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Les Champauvins is made of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre
Intense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a "baby Châteauneuf" than a Côtes du Rhône.
A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.
Drink between 1 and 6 years.
Soil type DOMAINE GRAND VENEUR “Les Champauvins” stretches on 34 ha classified in Côtes du Rhône. The plots are located in the northern border of Châteauneuf du Pape, exactly from 3 meters outside the appellation. A small lane of rocks going through the rocky plateaux has been decided to be the AOC limit in 1936. Here, soils are made of red clay and rocks (pebbled stones of quartz). The quantity of rocks can be amazing as they can completely cover the soil (see picture). In summer and during the day, the rocks temperature will increase to 55°C. This accumulated heat will be get back to the vines during nights . Day after day, this unique phenomenon allow the grapes to reach a perfect maturity and produce a unique wine. Winemaking & Ageing Traditional, in stainless steel vats. Harvest crushed and destemmed. Fermentation in temperature controlled vats at 28°C. Eighteen-day vating period with “pigeage”. Grenache is aged in concrete vats, Syrah and mourvèdre in 4 years old barrelsntense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a “baby Châteauneuf” than a Côtes du Rhône. A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.
Review:
One of the finest vintages of this cuvée to date, the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Les Champauvins (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre) is a brilliant, sexy, medium to full-bodied Côtes du Rhône that offers a spectacular bouquet of garrigue, peppery herbs, pine, and sweet red and black fruits. With beautiful complexity, a layered, seamless texture, notable tannins, and a great finish, it easily competes with any number of more expensive Châteauneuf-du-Papes and Gigondas. It’s great today yet will keep for 7-8 years.-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
The 2015 Côtes du Rhône is another beauty by this team. Licorice, roasted herbs, pepper and plenty of sweet fruit come together in this medium to full-bodied, layered, and textured effort. Made from 60% Grenache, and Mourvedre and Syrah that saw mostly concrete tank, it’s a smoking Côtes du Rhône (and a fabulous value) to drink over the coming 3-4 years.
Review:
A mix of 2011 and 2012, the NV Côtes du Rhône S M is equal parts Syrah and Grenache with the Syrah from the north and Grenache from the south. Smoked meats, leather, garrigue, olives, and assorted fruits all give way to a medium-bodied, layered, elegant red that has loads to love. -Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points
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
"(sourced from a 100+ year old plot of mixed varieties; aged in new and used French oak barrels for 14 months) Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. Ripe black and blue fruits on the expansive, spice- and smoke-accented nose, along with suggestions of vanilla, candied flowers and cola. The oak qualities recede quickly on the palate, which displays sappy, deeply concentrated boysenberry, black raspberry and spicecake flavors that show a suave blend of richness and energy. Supple tannins build steadily on the penetrating finish, which leaves cherry-cola and baking spice notes behind. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (February 2019), 93 pts
"I loved the 2015 Vinsacro Dioro Rioja, and this beauty is 50% Tempranillo, 20% Grenache, 10% each of Mazuelo and Graciano, and the balance Mourvèdre and Bobal, all of which spent 12-14 months in French oak. It boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as smoking good notes of black currants, dried herbs, licorice, and background oak. Medium to full-bodied, seamless, and layered on the palate, with terrific fruit and impeccable balance, I suspect it will shine for over a decade."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 2019), 93 pts
The 2015 growing season was the warmest ever recorded in Washington State. We achieved sufficient shoot growth early in the season to provide the fruit shading during the hottest June days. We have also installed overhead misters in all of our vineyard sites to cool the fruit, if needed, to produce the finest grapes we can grow, regardless of extreme weather. Almost all of our Cabernet Sauvignon achieved its final ripening under perfect, mid-70 degree Fahrenheit temperatures in October. The results were very small and concentrated berries full of flavor and freshness.
The 2015 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is a truly majestic wine with great purity, class and breed. The wealth of blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruit is remarkable, with hints of spring flowers, cocoa powder, roasted herbs, forest floor and minerals. This wine will have a large drinking window due to the seamless integration of all its elements. Drink now through 2037. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Paul Golitzin, Director of Winemaking
Review:
"The flagship is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon mostly from Champoux with the balance from Palengat and Wallula vineyards. Crème de cassis, graphite, black licorice, unsmoked tobacco, and hints of chocolate and emerge from this beauty and it continues to gain depth and nuance with time in the glass. Full-bodied, deep, and layered with an incredible purity and elegance on the palate, it's already accessible but has more than enough tannin, depth, and balance to evolve for two decades or more."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2018), 99 pts
Closeout!
65% Chenin Blanc, 13% Chardonnay, 17% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Viognier
A polished light yellow gold color, this wine has a bouquet of citrus blossom with hazelnut, lemon grass and butterscotch undertones. The wine has a soft sweet entry with a racy linear acidity. Ripe citrus and stone fruit flavours evolve into a lovely lingering dry earthy finish. This is a textured white wine with layers of flavour. Drink 2014-2024.
Reviews:
The 2015 White Blend Terrasse comprises 56% Chenin Blanc, 17% Viognier, 14% Sauvignon Blanc and 13% Chardonnay, raised for 12 months in French oak. It has quite an aromatic bouquet of white peach, freshly sliced grapefruit and a touch of lychee, all well defined and vivacious. The palate is very well balanced with a slightly resinous, waxy opening, the Viognier here making its presence felt. There is a pleasant salinity on the finish with a gorgeous brightness and tension. This is a strong follow-up to the outstanding 2014.
- Wine Advocate, 93 pts
The Viognier component of
this Chenin Blanc-based blend with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay was increased
to 17% in 2015, but it was also picked earlier to retain acidity. The result is
a very harmonious cuvee: rose water, aniseed, tangerine, some stone fruit and a
tangy, refreshing finish. 2017-21"
- Tim Atkin (South Africa
2017 Special Report), 93 pts
This Chenin Blanc-based blend, with additional portions of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier, is delicate in nature, though complex and layered beneath it's reserved surface. It boasts notes of apple flesh, melon rind, yellow flower, fynbos and beeswax on the nose and mouth, with final impressions of orange pith and lemon zest on the enduing finish. Harmonouos and well-balanced, it offers a pleasant, softly astringent texture that lends structure to the medium-weight palate and length to the close. Drink now–2023.
– Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
"This bristles with
quinine, mirabelle plum, blanched almond and lemon pith notes, while crackling
acidity runs underneath. Rich melon and yellow apple details fill in through
the finish, adding bass to match the treble. Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Sauvignon
Blanc and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2019. 625 cases made.–JM"
- Wine Spectator (May 31st
2017), 92 pts
- back
What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest exciting joint venture between the Pisoni and Franscioni Families. The site features tightly spaced vines and is planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah and sits on the Santa Lucia Highlands Bench adjacent to the Garys' Vineyard. The clonal material planted in the loamy, rocky soil is very diverse and features over a dozen of the most renowned heritage selections from California and Burgundy in pursuit of the finest wine quality.
Review:
The vineyard is famous for producing ripe, luscious Pinots stuffed with massive fruit. Many wineries have dipped into it over the years. Krutz’s rendition is dry, balanced and full-bodied, with relatively high alcohol framing raspberry, cherry, cola, red plum, exotic spice and sandalwood flavors. It should age well through 2020–2022.
- Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Lexicon Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Classic Malbec aromas of blackberry, cherry and chocolate lift from opaque juice. The juice is heavy with soft tannin and high acidity allowing for a layered and structure mouth-feel. Dark berry and cherry flavors converge on the slightly peppered finish.
