Vintae
Visiting this dynamic, Rioja- based Spanish wine company, part 3:
Rioja and its old vineyards
Website: www.vintae.com
Me
(centre) with Raul and Ricardo
The roots of Vintae are in Rioja, and they have a large, new-ish
winery in San Vicente de la Sonsierra called Bodegas Classica. It’s
the largest of the three wineries that they own, and it’s home to
the Lopez de Haro brand, as well as some of the other Vintae
projects. It was constructed in 2006.
Before we hit the winery, though, we spent some time nosing around
old vineyards in the region. This was a great experience: Rioja has
some truly remarkable vineyards, yet because of the commercial
success of the region, the vineyard story has largely been lost.
It’s hard to taste the place when a wine is aged for too long in oak
barrels, with an oxidative winemaking regime and intrusive oak
lactone flavours winning out over the fruit characters. And when
people have taken a single-vineyard approach, often they’ve picked
too late and instead of using too much American oak, they’ve simply
swapped it for new French oak. This is why Vintae’s approach is so
refreshing, because they are looking to express these vineyards in
some of their wines.
One vineyard was from 1902, called Riojanda. It is located
in the village of Navaridas, and has some remarkable-looking old
vines. Another is
called Camino el Ciego. Based in Baños de Ebro, it’s 80
years old. Then there's another, the Corral del Alto vineyard,
which is also in Baños de Ebro, and the vines
here are 75 years old. The region has a treasure trove of these
old gems.
The Lopez de Haro wines are pretty good, and represent great value
for money. ‘Classic contemporary is our philosophy,’ says MD Ricardo
Arambarri, and that is what they are achieving.
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Blanco 2015 Rioja, Spain 12.5% alcohol. Some (c. 20%) is fermented in barrel. Old vine Viura.
Lively and floral with nice pear and citrus fruit. Some attractive
melony richness here too. Nice bright fruit here. 88/100 (£8.99
Majestic)
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rosado 2015 Rioja, Spain Pink with a hint
of orange. Fruity and lively with some creamy hints. Nice juicy
lemony fruit. There’s a crisp grapefruit finish, too. 87/100
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Tempranillo 2015 Rioja, Spain
Young Tempranillo with 3 months in barrel. Fresh, very pure and
juicy with nice bright raspberry and blackberry fruit. Very fresh
and with lovely fruit presence: ripe but balanced. 89/100 (£9.99
Corks Out)
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Crianza 2014 Rioja, Spain
Fresh and direct
with nice raspberry and blackberry fruit with some spicy oak adding
interest, but not dominating. Juicy fruit drives this. Very
attractive. 89/100 (Hennings and Corks Out, £10.99)
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Reserva 2011 Rioja, Spain
A blend of
modern and classical in style with appealing black cherry and plum
fruit with some savoury spiciness from the oak. Fine hints of
coconut and spice with notes of tar and leather. Good structure.
Still youthful with nice personality. 90/100 (£11.99 Cambridge Wine
Merchants, Hennings)
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Gran Reserva 2008 Rioja, Spain
Lovely
concentration here with sweet black fruits and notes of vanilla and
coconut lurking in the background. There’s a sweet elegance to the
palate with real freshness and detail, and some spiciness on the
finish. This could last a few more years, for sure, and will keep
improving. 92/100
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Edicion Limitada 30 Meses 2008 Rioja, Spain
An estate planted in 1906, 12 000 bottles. Very fine and elegant in
a classic Rioja style. Herbs, spice, leather and sweet black cherry
and plum fruit, with nicely integrated oak and structure. Refined
with good concentration and lovely elegance. Smooth and pure with a
nice black cherry and spice core. 94/100
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Classica Reserva Blanco 2012
Our way of
seeing the classics of Rioja: a new project. Complex and fresh with
spice, pepper, fennel and bright pear and citrus fruit. Carries some
cedary oak, and needs a bit of time. Lovely freshness and detail.
Will be lovely in a few years. 91/100
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Classica Gran Reserva 2001 (first lot)
Lovely classic nose of sweet blackcurrant, blackberry and cherry
fruit with some spice and vanilla notes. There’s also some leather
and sweet damson, too. The palate is sweet and concentrated with
lovely intensity, still quite a bit of fruit, and some first signs
of maturity: undergrowth, prunes, herbs and leather. Very fine.
94/100
Hacienda Lopez de Haro Classica Gran Reserva 2001 (second lot)
Elegant and mature with refined herbs, spice, plums and black
cherries. Quite restrained with some earthiness. There’s some
elegance here, but it’s a little understated and less distinctive
than the first. 92/100
El Pacto Crianza 2013 Rioja, Spain 14% alcohol. From old
vineyards near Baños and Villabuena, with organic farming. This is
terroir wine from one area, and made in a slightly more modern
style. Sweet berry and cherry fruits with a fine spicy edge and some
sweet oak. Has lushness but also freshness. Nice peppery notes on
the finish. Modern but has elegance. 91/100
El Pacto Crianza 2014 Rioja, Spain Modern and ripe with some
spicy, cedary oak and fresh cherry and berry fruit. The oak is
currently dominant, with a savoury, cedary character clamping down
on the sweet fruit. Needs time and could be better with some more
integration. 87/100
QP Reserva 2008 Rioja, Spain 14% alcohol. Blend of Tempranillo,
Garnacha and Graciano. Beautifully fresh and focused with lovely
blackberry and black cherry fruit. Has a core of pure, sweet, but
restrained fruit with some savoury spiciness. Has real integration
of flavour with elegance and purity. There’s some structure but it
is well balanced. Lovely wine. 93/100 (£9.99 The Wine Society)
QP Vintage 2010 Rioja, Spain Just 4000 bottles. Single vineyard
from San Vicente. 14.5% alcohol. Ripe, rich and complex with bold
spiciness and some vanilla and coconut. Dense and tannic with nice
spiciness. Very youthful and needs time to integrate. At least a few
years in bottle. 89/100
See
also:
The
wines of Marques de Murrieta
Visiting
Rioja (series)
Vintae
Part 2, Garnachas de Espana
Vintae
Part 3, in the vineyards of Rioja
Wines tasted 10/16
Wines
tasted as indicated
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