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Red dry
Torre de Oña El Camino 2021 is a charismatic rosé wine that combines classics with a modern interpretation: it has a deep layer of fruitiness, a refined spectrum of spices and a great structural balance. It is a high-class wine from DOCa Rioja Alavesa (Northern Spain), produced by the prestigious Torre de Oña winery - La Rioja Alta S.A. (Viñedos Artesanales project) as the first reflection of the terroir of this line.
The wine is characterized by an intense spectrum of aromas: red and dark berries (currants, raspberries, blackberries), spices and herbs, delicate hints of tobacco, cloves, litchi and caramel.
The wine is medium-bodied, but not heavy, with perfectly integrated tannins. Clear fruitiness, balanced acidity, silky tannin texture and a rich combination of fruits. A long-lasting aftertaste, complemented by nuances of spices and wild berries, gives the wine great depth and sophistication.
The grapes are hand-harvested from ~80 m. old field vineyards in the village of Elvillar de Álava. Fermentation is gentle - 12 days of grapes kept at low temperature before fermentation, alcoholic fermentation took place in cool stainless steel tanks. Maturation: ~14 months. In 500 L French oak barrels, malolactic fermentation was carried out.
Only ~3,680 bottles produced, very limited production.
Serve at a temperature of 12-14 °C with red meat stews, cured Iberico pork ham, and cheeses.
The unnamed wine I tasted last year under the generic name Viñedos Artesanales has finally been released as the 2021 El Camino, which comes from three plots of old head-pruned vines planted 81 years ago with Tempranillo and 3% other varieties, including Mazuelo, Garnacha and Viura. The vines are in El Pisón, La Revilla and Las Naves lieux-dits of the village of Elvillar. The destemmed grapes fermented in the new winery that was built for this range, Viñedos Artesanales, in small troncoconic stainless steel vats, and the wine matured in 500-liter French oak barrels for 14 months, including malolactic. Using larger barrels means the wine has to be sold as generic, or "joven"; it cannot be sold as Reserva or Gran Reserva, or even Crianza! But user larger barrels also means the oak is a lot more integrated and has less impact on the wine, which is young and juicy, with great freshness, elegance and balance, with a different profile, with a lot lees oak. It shows a little backward, shy, insinuating and subtle, a little austere and opening slowly in the glass. It's silky and elegant, but it has grip, with very chalky tannins. It has contained ripeness, 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.78, 4.8 grams of acidity and just under two grams of unfermented sugar. It's evolving in a very slow and positive way. It's a good debut. 3,680 bottles were filled in July 2023. The label is unique; it has a small piece of a vine shoot attached to it!
Striking depth and complexity for a Rioja, with roasted spices, minerals, cumin, red peppercorns and touches of cured meat and cocoa powder. Full and really minerally on the palate, with tense and super-polished tannins. Really long. Drink or hold. Thursday, Aug 08, 2024
Bodegas La Rioja Alta is undoubtedly a representative of old Rioja, exceptionally valuing and cultivating the region's traditional winemaking methods. Their “Gran Reserva” wine is aged for no less than six years in barrel and a further two years in bottle before reaching the consumer, embodying patience and mastery. The high-altitude vineyards of La Rioja Alta, with their unique conditions, lend a subtlety to the wines, sometimes even reminiscent of Burgundy’s ‘Pinot Noir’. While the La Rioja Alta group also includes wineries in Galicia (Rias Baixas) and Ribera del Duero (Burgos), it is their traditional Rioja style that remains their hallmark.
Wine Style
La Rioja Alta wines are characterized by elegance, complexity, and longevity. They reflect the harmony between Rioja terroir and traditional winemaking.
Prestigious Vineyards
La Rioja Alta manages high-altitude vineyards in the Rioja Alta region:
These unique vineyard characteristics and meticulous work in the vineyard are the foundation for the distinctive character of La Rioja Alta wines.
Aging and Drinking Window
La Rioja Alta wines are crafted for slow enjoyment. The long aging process in oak barrels and bottles imparts exceptional complexity and harmony. While these wines can be enjoyed in their youth, their true potential unfolds after many years of bottle aging. They are wines valued for their longevity and ability to improve over time.
