La Rioja Alta
The winery La Rioja Alta has its origins in the heart of the Rioja region and is located north of the city of Haro. The vineyard area has now grown to 660 hectares, which are divided over four wineries. La Rioja Alta is part of the La Rioja Alta S.A. Group.
At the end of the 19th century, five families founded the 'Sociedad Vinícola de La Rioja Alta', a so-called wine association. The first president was a woman, Doña Saturnina García Cid y Gárate. Under her leadership, the very first winemaker, a Frenchman, was employed. The first expansion took place about 100 years later, with the takeover of the traditional winery Lagar de Fornelos from the O Rosal sub-region in Galicia. The name changed to Lagar de Cervera. And it didn’t end with just this one expansion. In the next 10 years, vineyards were also acquired in Ribera del Duero and in Rioja Alavesa.
At La Rioja Alta, tradition and modern techniques are closely intertwined. The grapes are processed in Labastida. Labastida is the shared wine cellar and is equipped with the most advanced technology. Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Garnacha and Graciano are used. Of these four, Tempranillo takes the leading role in every wine. Because wood aging is the core of the wine's identity here, the wooden barrels are home made. In this way, the barrels can be made in such a way that they fully match the style that the winemaker has in mind. Before the coopers get to work, the imported wood is first laid out to dry in the open air.
The winery produces crianza, reserva and gran reserva wines. For that reason, the wood aging time varies per style. After maturing in barrel, the wines are first stored in the cellar before they are brought to market. These Spanish powerhouses are intense and layered, making for very complex wines. The reserva and gran reserva wines have an aging potential of at least 15 to 20 years.
The best vintages of La Rioja Alta are: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2016 and 2018.
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