Fortaleza de Imas 2005

Tasting note
Colour - Mid-depth ruby.

Aroma - Dark ripe cherry fruit with spice and oak.

Taste - Lush, velvety mouthful of blackberry and smoky raspberry with lots of oaky intensity.

	Type:Still Red Wine		Country:Spain		Appellation:Rioja DOC
	Grape Type:Tempranillo		Drink Before:End of 2012		Body:Medium Bodied
	Alcohol:13.5%		Bottle Size:75cl		Bottle Code:39275

Description
Enjoy this sumptuously silky, oak-aged Rioja from a five-Star vintage and an exceptional 'New Age' bodega. Barón de Ley was a dream finally realised for a group of Riojan professionals that included growers, winemakers, plus some wealthy banks. Their aim was to create a Rioja wine estate that was second to none. A winery modelled on the great châteaux of the Médoc, centred around an inspirational historic building.

With this in mind, Barón de Ley acquired the Imas Estate in Mendavia, on the left bank of the river Ebro in Rioja Alta. They chose it firstly for its special microclimate and secondly for its 16th century monastery, which today houses the headquarters of the estate. Plans were drawn up for the offices, the winery, the barrel hall and so on. And rejected. Far too modern and workmanlike. The final drawings, which became a reality in 1990, were a beautiful array of buildings in keeping with the old monastery. Spanish expert, John Radford, has already named them among his top 20 Rioja bodegas writing that they are "performing magnificently".

The estate boasts 90 hectares of vines - 70 hectares devoted to Tempranillo and 20 to 'experimental status' Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvesting is all done by hand and, with no transportation involved, the grapes arrive in tip-top condition. Winemaker at the property is Gonzalo Rodriguez, who started there in the late 1990s excited by the potential of this great property.