Description
THINK of a Spanish wine and you're most likely to think of Rioja, one of Spain's oldest and most well-established wine regions. It takes its name from the river Oja, in Spanish rio oja, a tributary of the Ebro.
The area is protected from the strong, rain-bearing winds of the Atlantic by the Sierra Cantabria mountains to the north and west and is more influenced by the Mediterranean. Tempranillo is its most noble and widely planted grape, with pockets of Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano.
Vinicola Riojana de Alcandre is a village cellar comprising 250 growers who, between them, control 590 hectares of vineyard in the Rioja Baja. This part of Rioja tends to be a little hotter than the Alavesa and Alta, but planted at altitudes of between 400-600 metres on east-facing slopes, this cellar's vines enjoy a moderate climate. The secret to the quality and concentration of this Rioja is the age of the vines - some up to 80 years old.
Winemaker at the property is the award-winning Olga Martínez. She has used nearly all Tempranillo in this red, loved for its silky strawberry character, with just a dash of Garnacha for its broader velvety texture and bramble fruit. A little gentle oak-ageing has lent a touch of toasty vanilla and an extra layer of complexity.
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