Bodegas Amaren, Blanco Barrel Fermented, DOCa Rioja, Spain, 2019

Jon Cañas (Luis Cañas’ grandson) is the imaginative winemaker behind Bodegas Amaren.

Jon has been granted free rein to explore the character of Alavesa’s vineyards, giving us a raw, modern interpretation of Rioja Alavesa. Bodegas Amaren is comprised of some of best and highest altitude vineyards around the villages of Samaniego and Leza, where the soil is poor and gnarly vines, ageing up to and over 100 years old, produces small bunches, perfect for making highly concentrated Rioja wines.

WINEMAKING

Manually harvested, grapes are selected on a double sorting table (first clusters and then berries). Only intact berries are selected. Alcoholic fermentation is conducted in 225 and 500 litre French oak barrels, whereas a small batch ferments in a concrete egg. The wine is aged in a combination of mostly new French oak barrels and concrete for an additional 10 months with regular battonage.

TASTING NOTES

Pleasant chalky notes on the nose that showcase the clay-calcareous terroir along with additional complexity thanks to the wood fermetation. Tremendously fresh thanks to the acidity that the combination of the diffrent white varieties provide. This continues on the palate with stone fruit with citrus notes and tropical flavours accompanied with an enjoyable enveloping unctuous mouthfeel that shows the labour- intensive stirring of the lees. Very long finish with saline hints that perfectly match the chalky-clay soils of the Leza.

FOOD PAIRING 

Pasta, rice dishes, white meats with light sauces, roasted or grilled fish, seafood, roasted vegetables, foie-gras.