Your cart is empty.
- In stock, ready to ship
- Inventory on the way
Ramírez de la Piscina, Rioja, Crianza
As alluring as Spanish guitar and uniquely original as the country’s rich culinary tradition, Rioja is the most celebrated region of Spain and is one of the world’s most historic regions. The finest examples, like this wine, hail from the northern sub-region of Rioja Alta.
The current market has led to more modern, opulent styles of winemaking where the distinctive wine can lose much of its authentic voice, but not today. The 2010 Ramírez de la Piscina Rioja Reserva delivers a slightly modern take that brilliantly manages to retain its inimitable Rioja thumbprint. When you place your nose in the glass, the lush, beautiful fruit is perfectly grounded with those classic aromas of sandalwood, sawdust and dried plum that leaves you with no doubt that this wine hails from Rioja. This Spanish beauty tastes twice the price and is the perfect opportunity to experience a contemporary expression of tempranillo with the true essence and soul of Rioja.
The 2010 Reserva has a dark, almost opaque garnet core with light garnet and a hint of orange on the rim. Ripe and luscious aromas of dried black cherry, blackberry, and black plum are met with traditional notes of sawdust, old leather, dried tobacco, dried red earth as well as a touch of soy and dill. The palate is medium-plus in body with soft texture and well-integrated tannins, which unfolds to reveal black cherry, blackberry and salted plum over savory nuances that combine a more modern style with the historic region’s roots. This wine is ready to go now and will remain in its delightful peak over the next 3-5 years. Simply decant for 30-45 minutes and serve in Bordeaux stems at 60-65 degrees. Although this wine will charm alongside slow-roasted pork with dried fruits as well as various beef dishes, we recommend this traditional Lamb Stew with Vegetables for an upcoming, crisp autumn evening.
The current market has led to more modern, opulent styles of winemaking where the distinctive wine can lose much of its authentic voice, but not today. The 2010 Ramírez de la Piscina Rioja Reserva delivers a slightly modern take that brilliantly manages to retain its inimitable Rioja thumbprint. When you place your nose in the glass, the lush, beautiful fruit is perfectly grounded with those classic aromas of sandalwood, sawdust and dried plum that leaves you with no doubt that this wine hails from Rioja. This Spanish beauty tastes twice the price and is the perfect opportunity to experience a contemporary expression of tempranillo with the true essence and soul of Rioja.
The aristocratic family name of Ramírez de la Piscina dates to the middle ages. Although the family has been cultivating and producing wines in Rioja for generations, it wasn’t until in 1973 that wines were bottled and sold under the Bodegas Ramírez de la Piscina name by Angela and Julio. In 1980, their children, Cecilio, Julio, and Pilar, took the helm and by 1990 their wines hit the international market. In 2001, a new state-of-the-art winemaking facility was completed, but they still continue to sustainably farm their vineyards and manually harvest their fruit. Their more modern wine is full of fruit yet still retains the traditional characteristics that are the heart of true Rioja. In fact, their wine is pushed past the strict DOC requirements for Reserve aging. Depending on how Rioja is aged, it can bear the name Joven, Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva on the label. Reserva requires a minimum of 36 months of age with at least 12 months in oak. The Ramírez family pushes the envelope even further and ages their wine in oak for an additional six months – the wine actually ages for a total of 47 months before release. This practice hearkens back to the tradition of Rioja when wines were aged for much longer. The famed Marqués de Murrieta once aged their 1942 vintage for 41 years!
The Ramírez de la Piscina estate is located in Rioja Alta, which is considered the greatest of the three sub-regions of Rioja. The northern stretch of the region enjoys a cooler climate than Rioja Baja with protection from harsh winds and the ideal amount of rainfall. The family’s 100% Tempranillo grapes are derived from vines that are a minimum of 30 years of age and are rooted in clay and limestone soils in the villages of Abalos and San Vicente de la Sonsierra within Rioja Alta. The hand-harvested fruit is carefully sorted then destemmed. The grapes undergo maceration in climate-controlled tank for several days, which leads to a spontaneous fermentation with regular pump-overs and punch-downs. Following fermentation, wine is racked via gravity into a combination of American and French oak barrels that are 225 liters in size. The wine ages for 18 months in the family’s underground cellar then is transferred back to tank for five months where the wine is naturally fined and settled. After a light filtration, the wine continues to age in the bottles for a minimum of 24 months before release.
