Fruity. Balanced. Consistent. Traditional.
Harvested manually from 30-40 year old vines planted in Rioja Alta near the small town of Ábalos. Fermentation takes place each year in small capacity, stainless steel tanks where temperature can be strictly controlled. This crianza is then aged for 18 months in American oak (each barrel is less than 5 years old), and rests for 6 months in bottle after that.
It is a classic yet characterful example of a Rioja wine, produced from high quality, estate-owned fruit.
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Rioja and it’s sub-zones:
Rioja DOCa is arguably the most well known Spanish wine region to those abroad. It’s located about three hours north of Madrid and is under 100 kilometres south of Bilbao on the Atlantic coast. The River Ebro runs through the region with vineyards situated around it, planted mostly with red grapes like Tempranillo and Garnacha, though white grapes are also grown here in small quantities. Tucked into the Cantabria mountain range, the Rioja region is sheltered from cool, maritime weather that typically lands in Basque country, immediately to the north.
Generally, Rioja can be divided into 3 broad zones from west to east:
- Rioja Alta (highest land, western Rioja)
- Rioja Alavesa (dictated by the boundaries of Basque Alava province)
- Rioja Oriental (eastern Rioja, previously known as Rioja Baja – meaning “low”)
Even though these three areas of vineyard land are distinctly identified in Rioja, you typically do not see these zones written on a label. That’s because this large region has historically classified its wines based on their extended oak aging rather than by their vineyards or villages (like you would see in Bordeaux, Burgundy or Napa Valley for example).
The Connection to Bordeaux:
The relationship between Rioja and Bordeaux is complicated, and spans centuries. Historically, Bordeaux’s position as a port city gave the French an economic advantage over Spain’s mainland Rioja region. But in the 19th century, French winemakers had to flee the phylloxera epidemic (a tiny plant louse) that was destroying their vines at the root. Out of desperation to continue their winemaking, they traveled to the other side of the Pyranees and landed in Rioja. At this time, Spanish winemakers began adopting French techniques, including the use of oak barrels which played a tremendous role in shaping the style of Rioja wines, particularly in terms of aging, complexity, and structure
What you will see on a Rioja label is how long the wine has spent in oak (from unoaked, up to over 5+ years in barrel). Check out the Wine Folly website to see some great visuals explaining the oaking terminology for Rioja wines.
- Joven – a young wine, minimal oaking
- Crianza – aged for a total of 2 years with at least 1 year in oak barrels
- Reserva – aged for a total of 3 years with at least 1 year in oak barrels and another 6 months in bottle
- Gran Reserva – aged for a total of 5 years with at least 2 years in oak and 2 years resting in bottle
Rioja Alta and Alavesa have similar climates, reaching elevations up to 800m above sea level as vineyards are planted along the limestone boulders that make up the Sierra de Cantabria. Grapes are virtually the only crop in these two areas, with a main distinction between them and the warmer Rioja Oriental being a difference in soil type. As you climb in elevation throughout Rioja, clay and limestone soils begin to dominate therefore producing more elegant and mineral-driven wines that age well.
A Bodegas in the Mountain’s Shadow
Founded in 1988 in the town of Ábalos, Bodegas Solabal is surrounded by magnificent landscape in Rioja Alta. Their high elevation vineyards are planted on both clay and limestone soils on the mountain slopes and have been happily growing here in the mountain’s shadow for centuries, protected from cool Atlantic rain and wind. Solabal owns 120 hectares in the Ábalos area, many of which have easily grown to be old vine (over 30+ years old), but despite such long winemaking history, Solabal is known for using modern, cutting-edge equipment at their facility. They meticulously monitor fermentation, temperature and their barrel aging regime to ensure every batch meets their high quality standards.
Fun Fact: The winery’s name, “Solabal” stems from the town name – Ábalos – but spelled backwards. (Almost) The label is a nod to the tremendous history behind these vineyards, with a reminder to constantly challenge themselves with a different perspective!