CH I / THE WINES
Crianza
2022 100% Tinta del País (tempranillo)
Ribera del duero / tinta del País / 2022
Fuentecén, heart of the Ribera region
The wonder of an elegant fragrance
A wine that balances fruit and wood, with soft aromas of blueberries, blackberries, and vanilla, and a hint of spices like nutmeg
An exceptional Ribera del Duero Crianza that delves into the most classic tradition with a reinterpretation seeking the fragrance of the fruit and its perfect harmony in aging. Vineyards over twenty-five years old with yields below five thousand kilos per hectare, planted in diverse soils, from stony and clay-rich to white limestone. An astonishing fragrance. Let’s see how we achieved it:
HIGH-ALTITUDE VINEYARDS
The process begins in the vineyards of Fuentecén, in Ribera del Duero, at about 900 meters above sea level. There, Tinta del País grapes, the only variety used, are grown in poor, stony soils ideal for concentrating flavors. The altitude and continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers but cool nights, allow the grapes to ripen slowly, developing a good structure and intense aromas while retaining freshness.
PRESERVING THE FRUIT
The harvest is done by carefully selecting the clusters at their optimal ripeness. In the winery, the grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed to extract the must. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature, usually between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. This allows for gentle extraction of color, aromas, and tannins, preserving the fruit and avoiding overly harsh flavors. After alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation is divided into batches and carried out both in stainless steel tanks at the start and in barrels at its completion. The balance of fruit and wood, elegance and grandeur, prevails.
TWELVE MONTHS IN BARREL
The next step is aging, one of the hallmarks of this Crianza. The wine spends 12 months in barrels, 60% French oak and 40% American oak. French oak contributes elegance, finesse, and spicy notes, while American oak adds a sweeter, vanilla touch. During this time, the wine develops its characteristic toasty and spicy nuances without the wood overpowering the fruit, which remains the heart of the wine. After barrel aging, the wine rests further in the bottle before being released to the market, allowing it to stabilize and refine its aromas and flavors. This entire process, from vineyard to bottle, follows a traditional yet modern approach, aiming to reflect the essence of Ribera del Duero: strength, balance, and personality.
Viticulture
To make this wine we selected a series of different family vineyards in the Fuentecén heathland at an altitude of nine hundred metres, located in the heart of the Burgos province district of the Ribera del Duero. Vine plants over twenty-five years’ old with yields of less than five kilos per hectare planted in different types of soil, from stony ground to clay and those with white chalky rock.
Harvest 2022
The quality and condition of the grapes which came into our Fuentecén winery (Burgos) can be classified as exceptional. The year was very complicated due to the heat and lack of rainfall during the summer, in which the temperature peaks were recorded. The rains in April gave way to spectacular bud burst and kept the moisture in the deepest layers of the vineyard soil. The perfect combination of ideal phenolic maturation and potential alcohol, together with the great state of health of the berries and being patient in order to pick the grapes at the right moment, gave us wines with good depth of colour, backbone, complexity and great cellaring potential.
Elaboration
The first selection is made in the vineyard. We take advantage of the higher, cooler zones where we can ensure slower, gentler ripening of the fruit. We can use the vineyards on the high heathland at an altitude of over nine hundred metres above sea level. The date of the harvest is always decided by testing the grapes.
Maceration: The grapes are macerated at 10ºC for three days prior to fermentation.
Alcoholic fermentation: We spread it over 18 days with temperatures between 22 and 26ºC with daily pumping over and stirring of the lees.
Malolactic fermentation: We divide it into lots and it takes place in both tanks at the beginning of fermentation and in barrels at the end.
Aging
Twelve months’ in the cask with 40% in American oak and 60 % in French oak in which we alternate different grades of toasting. All the casks are either first use (50%) or of one previous wine (50%).
Grape varieties
Tempranillo single grape.
12 months in the cask /
60 % french /
40% american /
Vintages
Tasting
Colour.
Intense magenta-coloured robe with ruby glints. It stains the glass and the tears are very persistent.
Aroma.
Intensity and complexity of fruit and wood, blueberries, blackberries, vanilla and nutmeg. Hints of pastries and toffee. You can appreciate the elegance of the limestone and the stones of the high heathland of Fuentecén.