La Sorda Edicion Limitada Tempranillo DOC Rioja Alavesa 2014 (750ml)

 

This is a selection of the very best Tempranillo, which is then fermented in small individual open barrels, a very labour intensive process.  After the fermentation, these French oak barrels are rebuilt to be used to age the wine for 12 months.

 

La Sorda Edicion Limitada Tempranillo

 

DOC Rioja Alavesa 2014

 

Powerful aromas of black fruits, currants and ripe plums, backed up by smoky notes and underlying forest floor; the vanilla and cedar wood from the ageing come through stronger on the powerful, yet well-balanced palate.

 

Type of Wine:  Dry Red Wine

 

Location

 

Denominación De Origen:  Rioja Alavesa

 

Town:  Lapuebla de Labarca

 

Winemaker:  Jesús Alvarez

 

Vintage:  2014

 

Winter was wet but not particularly cold, but then the weather continued wet through the spring, so that there was a little delay in development of the vines.  Nor was summer particularly warm and in cooler parts of Rioja this was not a good vintage, but in this warmer corner of Rioja Alavesa, the sunny if cool days of September and early October brought a perfect ripeness.

 

Harvest:  Second Week of October

 

Winemaking:  Grapes are destemmed but not crushed.  Fermented in individual oak barrels.  Cap broken by pushing down by hand.

 

Ageing:  Aged in new and used French oak barrels for 14 months and a further 12 months in bottle.

 

Composition:  100% Tempranillo

 

Alcohol:  13.7%

 

Date of Bottling:  December 2015

 

Production:  2,400 Bottles

 

Vineyard

 

Size:  25 hectares in 19 Pieces

 

Soil:  Loose & Silty

 

Training:  Trellised & Bush Vines

 

Grapes:  Tempranillo, Graciano & Mazuelo

 

 

Vinergia

 

Vinergia was founded in 2005 with the aim of uniting the efforts of small and medium-sized Spanish wineries and distributors across the world.  By understanding the key elements of each grape variety, region and also the requirements and idiosyncrasies of each market, we have come to develop wines of excellent quality with great stories to tell.

 

La Sorda

 

Located in the village of Lapuebla de Labarca, perhaps the warmest area of Rioja Alavesa.

 

As with many small family wineries, Loli and Jesús Alvarez own several pieces of vineyard in and around their home village of Lapuebla de Labarca.  Each of these pieces of vineyard has its own curious history and each has its own name, which may have a geographical or social origin.  La Sorda means ‘the deaf woman’ and this small plot of vineyard once belonged to an aunt who was a little hard of hearing!