Description
Remirez de Ganuza, an oenological paradise in La Rioja
The vineyards are made up of more than eighty hectares of Tempranillo, Graciano, Viura and Malvasia. They are spread over six towns in the Sierra Cantabria: Samaniego, Leza, Elciego, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Laguardia and Ábalos, in Rioja Alavesa. In all of them, the habitat, the microclimate, the orientation of the plots, the low productivity of the vines and the age of the vineyard have been taken into account for their selection, with the average age of the vines being fifty years. This large area of land allows them to be self-sufficient in grapes of the highest quality.
Board Characteristics
Store: Own Vineyards, in Bodegas Fernando Remírez de Ganuza, Samaniego (Rioja Alavesa).
DOCa. The Rioja
Add: 2022
Grade: 13,5%
Variety: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Viura & Malvasía skins
CATA's notes: High layer purplish cherry.
On the nose: intense and fine with floral notes, lilacs, violet caramel aromas of wild berries, strawberry cream and blackberries
In the mouth: sweet and fleshy. Fruity, sensations of blackberries, currants, blue flowers, dairy and hints of licorice.
Operating temperature: 16-18ºC
Preparation: Manual harvest in boxes of 12 kg of grapes from vineyards with an average age of 60 years. Controlled temperature prior to fermentation in specially designed cold rooms for a period of 24 hours (4-6 degrees). Selection of grapes on the table and separation of shoulders and ends. This wine is made from the tips of the bunches selected for Remírez de Ganuza by the traditional method of carbonic maceration.
Pairing: en Made in Spain Gourmet We recommend it as an excellent choice for all kinds of starters and appetizers, among which 100% acorn-fed Iberian dishes, 100% acorn-fed sausages and cured and semi-cured cheese boards stand out.
A traditional winery with avant-garde production
Will find Remirez de Ganuza in the center of Samaniego, a beautiful medieval village at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño. Of medieval origin, today it preserves its appearance as a fortified town visible in many of its buildings and especially in the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción from the XNUMXth century, built next to one of the four towers that defended the town.
La Remirez de Ganuza winery As we said before, it is located in the center of Samaniego, Álava. It is made up of a block of buildings, old mansions of the town, it is made up of modern reinforced concrete structures covered with old masonry, thus integrating into the traditional local architecture.
Around a large central patio crossed by a natural water channel, the different buildings that structure the winery are dedicated to the different phases of winemaking, such as the barrel area, the bottle racks, the cold rooms or the selection.
The traditional architecture of the winery, in which the interior roof made up of centuries-old oak beams stands out, contrasts with one of the most avant-garde and innovative production methods of the moment.
La Rioja Alavesa: the elite of La Rioja wines
The Rioja Alavesa It is framed as a sub-zone in the Rioja Qualified Denomination of Origin. It has 13.500 hectares of vineyards and several hundred wineries, which result in an annual average of around 40 million liters of wine.
The area especially produces red wines with general specific characteristics, such as a bright and lively color, a fine aroma, a fruity taste and a pleasant palate. These peculiarities are due to the clayey-calcareous soils of the area, which are excellent for the vines to absorb the necessary moisture. The climate and the location of the vineyards also contribute to its quality, behind the Sierra de Toloño, which protects the vines from the cold north winds and allows the vines to take better advantage of the heat.
The reds are the most representative wines of the region and are made with the Tempranillo varieties (around 79% of the total is produced from this grape), Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano.
The young or red wines of the year are mostly made using the traditional method of carbonic maceration, in which whole clusters are fermented in a 'lake' for between seven and ten days. Once free of skins and scratches, they go to the vats where they will finish fermentation.
For their part, crianza, reserva and gran reserva wines are made using the Bordeaux or destemming process. It consists of breaking the grape, removing the stems and incubating the must with its paste for seven days. After several fermentations, they go to the barrels for aging. It will be the time spent in the barrel and in the bottle that will make the difference between crianzas, reservas and gran reservas.
Due to the fact that rosé and white wines are increasingly appreciated both inside and outside our borders, winemakers and oenologists work on the production of quality wines from these varieties, in a bid to approach all markets.
Israel Romero -
Its carbonic maceration makes it very special, it has an unusual body for such a young wine.