Riojas´ Duel: Amphora VS Barrel

SoloMazuelo Amphora

Winemaking

Harvest in boxes of 11 Kg, destemmed 90%, the remaining 10% whole bunch. Cold pre-fermentative maceration in stainless steel tanks for 3-5 days. Spontaneous fermentation once the temperature of the deposits rises. Uncovered and soft pressed with manual vertical press which allows us to mix the yolk wine and the press before inserting them into the mud jar.

Ageing

In a 250-liter pot of cooked clay for 5 months.

Analysis

Alcohol 13.50% Vol.
pH / acidity 3,82 / 4,05 gr / l
Residual sugar 1,0 gr / l

Philosophy

Mazuelo is a variety that has historically been part of the great wines of Rioja, being largely responsible for its longevity. Arizcuren solomazuelo aims to show the goodness of this variety in a specific place, the northern slopes of Sierra de Yerga. Vineyard in glass, at 530 m. altitude, in clay soil with abundant Boulder and low fertility. The viticulture used seeks to obtain quality grapes; low yields, basal debarking on the northeast face, optimal phenolic maturation of skin and Nuggets, without reaching excessive probable degrees.

The production process follows the principle of minimal intervention, trying to respect the variety and the place of origin. For this reason, no exogenous products are used (except a minimum amount of sulphurous) and traditional growing in Wood is replaced by an earthen jar that allows the essence of the variety to be kept intact.

The wine obtained after the passage through the tinaja is much rounder and finished than the aged in wooden barrels showing itself as the purest reflection of what the variety is. With this wine I have the possibility to do a very didactic work to publicize the characteristics of the variety in order to put it in value within the OJ to avoid the tendency to decrease the area cultivated by grubbing up of existing historical vineyards.

SoloMazuelo Barrel

Winemaking

Harvest in boxes of 11 Kg, destemming and cold pre-fermentation maceration in stainless steel and concrete tanks for 3-5 days. Spontaneous fermentation once the temperature of the deposits rises. Uncovered and soft pressed with vertical press which allows us to mix the yolk wine and the press before entering them into the barrels

Ageing

12 months in barrels of 225 and 500 l of French oak between 1 and 5 years old.

Analysis

Alcohol 13.88% Vol.
pH / acidity 3,44 / 5,95 gr / l
Residual sugar 1,2 gr / l

Philosophy

Mazuelo is a variety that has historically been part of the great wines of Rioja, being largely responsible for its longevity. Arizcuren solomazuelo aims to show the goodness of this variety in a specific place, the northern slopes of Sierra de Yerga. Vineyard in glass, at 530 m. altitude, in clay soil with abundant Boulder and low fertility. The viticulture used seeks to obtain quality grapes; low yields, basal debarking on the northeast face, optimal phenolic maturation of skin and Nuggets, without reaching excessive probable degrees.

The production process follows the principle of minimal intervention, trying to respect the variety and the place of origin. Therefore, no exogenous products are used (except a minimum amount of sulphurous) and traditional aging in Wood is carried out in large volumes that reduce the presence of wood in the wine.

Area

Sierra de Yerga, Quel, La Rioja-D. O. C. Rioja

Vineyard

The vineyard of the quarry from which the Solomazuelo comes was planted my grandfather Just Married a little over 30 years ago on a plot of 1 ha optimal for this variety; sandy clay soil with a lot of Boulder ideal to achieve control the vigor and fertility proper to the variety. It is on a plateau protected by coscojas on its perimeter except the North Face which allows the entry of the prevailing winds of the area, the cierzo, a great ally, along with moderate vigor, to combat powdery mildew, main cryptogamic disease to which is very sensitive carignena.

SoloGarnacha Amphora

Winemaking

Harvest in boxes of 11 Kg, destemmed 90%, the remaining 10% whole bunch. Cold pre-fermentative maceration in stainless steel tanks for 3-5 days. Spontaneous fermentation once the temperature of the deposits rises. Uncovered and soft pressed with manual vertical press which allows us to mix the yolk wine and the press before inserting them into the mud jar.

Ageing

In a 250-liter pot of cooked clay for 5 months

Analysis

Alcohol 14.58% Vol.
pH / acidity 3,82 / 4,05 gr / l
Residual sugar 1 gr / l

Philosophy

Garnacha was the majority variety until no more than 30 years ago in La Rioja Baja. Arizcuren sologarnacha aims to show the goodness of this variety in a specific place, the northern slopes of the Sierra de Yerga and their suitability for cultivation. To do this, we work with some of the few old vineyards that are still left, looking on the one hand for a representative wine and, on the other, to value the set that form a variety, a driving system (glass) and an area, the aforementioned Sierra de Yerga. In this way, perhaps, the process of “deserting” the historic vineyards of grenache that existed in this area can be reversed. The production process follows the principle of minimal intervention, trying to respect the variety and the place of origin.

The production process follows the principle of minimal intervention, trying to respect the variety and the place of origin. For this reason, no exogenous products are used (except a minimum amount of sulphurous) and traditional growing in Wood is replaced by an earthen jar that allows the essence of the variety to be kept intact.

The wine obtained after the passage through the tinaja is much rounder and finished than the aged in wooden barrels showing itself as the purest reflection of what the variety is. With this wine I have the possibility to do a very didactic work to publicize the characteristics of the variety in order to put it in value within the OJ to avoid the tendency to decrease the area cultivated by grubbing up of existing historical vineyards

SoloGarnacha Barrel

Winemaking

Harvest in boxes of 11 Kg, destemming and cold pre-fermentation maceration in stainless steel and concrete tanks for 3-5 days. Spontaneous fermentation once the temperature of the deposits rises. Uncovered and soft pressed with vertical press which allows us to mix the yolk wine and the press before introducing them into the barrels.

Ageing

In French oak barrels of 225 and 400 liters, all used

Analysis

Alcohol 15.29% Vol.
pH / acidity 3,73 / 5,25 gr / l
Residual sugar 1,1 gr / l

Philosophy

Garnacha was the majority variety until no more than 30 years ago in La Rioja Oriental. Arizcuren sologarnacha aims to show the goodness of this variety in a specific place, the northern slopes of the Sierra de Yerga and their suitability for cultivation. To do this, we work with some of the few old vineyards that are still left, looking on the one hand for a representative wine and, on the other, to value the set that form a variety, a driving system (glass) and an area, the aforementioned Sierra de Yerga.

In this way, perhaps, we can reverse the process of “desertification” of the historical vineyards of grenache that existed in this area. The production process follows the principle of minimal intervention, trying to respect the variety and the place of origin. Therefore, no exogenous products are used (except a small amount of sulphurous) and wood is used exclusively for the wine stabilization process, without over-marking it.

Vineyard

The grapes come from two vineyards with common soil and age characteristics: El Pastor, at 550 meters above sea level and el Foro, at 600 meters. In both cases they are vineyards of more than 40 to 60 years old planted with a high density of planting in sandy soil with the presence of clays at varying depths.

Area

Sierra de Yerga, Quel, La Rioja-D. O. C. Rioja

SoloGarnacha SoloGrenache Tinaja Arizcuren