Alcohol: 13.65%
Grape(s): 100% Tempranillo
Localization: Rioja, Spain
Tasting Notes: Deep cherry red with purple highlights. It brings us a very fruity nose (ripened black and red fruit), with freshness and memories of balsamic notes, spices and some toasted signs, rounding its expression. On the palate is juicy, firm, elegant and fresh, leaving us the fruity and pleasant sensation of a balanced body where notes of blackberry, cherry, red and black plums and a touch of licorice appear. Memories of nuts, woodwork and very light toasted signs.
The Domain: At the beginning of the 1970s, after centuries of tradition in the world of family winegrowing, our parents, Doroteo and María Asunción, decided to sell their own wines, blending tradition, a forward-thinking approach, and perseverance.
That’s how the new winery was born alongside the 18th century manor built as a boarding house at a strategic point on the road between Laguardia and Vitoria-Gasteiz, which also served as the family home until 2009. It's in the Matarredo neighborhood, where the Sáenz de Samaniego family has been making wine for generations. It’s something passed on for generations that we share with you so you can experience our passion and love for our Rioja Alavesa vineyard and enjoy our winery and wines.
Its past as a boarding house, Ostatu in Basque, imbued us with that hospitality that welcomes everyone. A place where we make and preserve artisan wine, where the essence of tradition is palpable, in spaces like the Txoko, the Wine Bar, the Patio, and the spectacular Sala Memoria where our oldest vintages are on display. The Sala Memoria was nominated for a Restaurant & Bar Design Award in London in 2018.
Since the Sáenz de Samaniego family began working in vineyards in the 16th century, we’ve been very certain that the most important element are our vineyards.
36 hectares of vineyard, divided into 50 microplots located primarily in Samaniego at different altitudes and with different directions, under the shelter of the Cantabria-Toloño mountains.
Calcareous clay soils and the convergence of two climates as different as the Atlantic and the Mediterranean make this the perfect place to grow high-quality vines.
A unique microclimate, resulting from the convergence of the climate of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Its primarily southward-facing vineyards get an ideal amount of precipitation every year and are protected from the cold northern winds by the mountains.
Our vineyard’s land is part of a winegrowing tradition that has always been environmentally friendly, something we have strengthened over time, culminating in our registration with ENEEK as an ecological vineyard. A comprehensive vision that involves caring for the earth, the environment, our heritage, and nature with the utmost respect. Calcareous clay soils infuse our wines with soul. Poor soils, lacking a great deal of organic material, that are loose with old vines whose roots fight to get the best nutrients. That’s the only way to make great wine.
Between the end of September and the month of October, the grapes reach peak ripeness. This is when the grapes are harvested by hand, selecting the best bunches on the field itself to ensure our wines are of the highest quality.
