New Limited Release Tinto Reserva Rioja Vega Venta Jalón Reserva 2014
26-03-2019
Rioja Vega Venta Jalón Reserva 2014 is Rioja Vega’s new limited release Tinto Reserva Especial.
It bears the name of the location of the Graciano vineyard, on the outskirts of Viana, from which 75% of the grapes that make this wine come from. The remaining 25% are Tempranillo grapes that come from the Imaz area, close to Mendavia. Graciano and Tempranillo are common Rioja blends, however, Imaz and Venta Jalón are two very different terroirs, especially in terms of soil composition.
Winemaker Esperanza Elías watches over the Venta Jalón Graciano vineyard (photo below) from the windows of the cellar’s tasting room while she airs a glass of the new Rioja Vega Venta Jalón Reserva Especial 2014.
Esperanza explains that she decided to combine grapes from Venta Jalón and Imaz because she believed that such different but equally special terroirs could, together, produce an exceptional wine. Esperanza looked for the vineyards to tell their own particular story and aged the must in small French and American oak barrels for two years, long enough for the oak to round off the wine without hiding the fruit.
“The soils in Venta Jalón are clayey and slightly calcareous, which favours concentration, aromas typical of the Graciano grape variety and ripe tannins. In addition, during the 2014 vintage, the good weather conditions boosted the effects of terroir in this special-edition Reserva.
In turn, the salinity of the soils in Imaz limits production which highlights the expression of the Tempranillo from this vineyard. The limestone component of the soil gives it elegance“, so Elías.
In other words, this Tinto Reserva Especial is a true reflection of Rioja Vega’s terroir: It’s elegant, complex, mineral, with ripe tannins and ripe fruit flavours overall.
Savouring any of the little more than 12,000 bottles of Rioja Vega Venta Jalón Reserva Especial 2014 is just like watching the sunset on a harvest day when the temperature drops and the soils of Venta Jalón release their distinctive bouquet of earth, leaves, spices and fruit.
