Bodegas Luis Cañas, Rioja Blanco Viñas Viejas, DOCa Rioja, Spain, 2023
Producer Profile
Bodegas Luis Cañas has been at the heart of Rioja since 1928 and has played an enormous role in shaping the Alavesa’s – and Rioja’s – modern incarnation.
Comprising some of the region’s best and highest altitude vineyards, the soil in this area is thin and produces small bunches – perfect for making highly concentrated Rioja wines. The vineyards are divided into hundreds of individual plots, each planted with gnarly old bush vines on chalky-clay soils that shelter under the magnificent Sierra de Cantabria range.
Viticulture
With 350 hectares of outstanding vineyards, split across 870 different plots, the viticultural department control every aspect. Each of the plots has its own personality and is categorised and used for different wines according to its characteristics. Vines are situated on slopes and terraces of limestone and clay soil, well exposed to the sun and are at least 65+ years old.
Winemaking
Grapes are hand selected and brought to the winery in the smallest tractors in the region. They are hand sorted at on of the wineries two Mistral sorting tables, where Juan Luis Cañas stands watch at each harvest. Fermentation occurs in French Oak Barrels for 17 days before the wine is aged in new French and American oak for 5 months with a proportion in concrete tank and clay vessels, with battonage on the lees, until bottling.
Tasting Note
A beautifully balanced example of white Rioja that straddles the styles of the old and the new. Vibrant citrussy Viura is blended with the more weighty Malvasia and the brief barrel maturation adds a honeyed roundness to the crisp lemony fruit. Beautiful golden yellow colour with bright lemon-tinted reflections. Elegant, combining hints of flowers, fruits and hazelnuts. Dry, with just enough acidity to make it fresh and lively with a structured and tasty finish of ripe fruit.
Food matching
Perfect with seafood and shellfish, meats, salads, risottos as well as mild cheeses and nuts.
Order before midday for next-day delivery
Producer Profile
Bodegas Luis Cañas has been at the heart of Rioja since 1928 and has played an enormous role in shaping the Alavesa’s – and Rioja’s – modern incarnation.
Comprising some of the region’s best and highest altitude vineyards, the soil in this area is thin and produces small bunches – perfect for making highly concentrated Rioja wines. The vineyards are divided into hundreds of individual plots, each planted with gnarly old bush vines on chalky-clay soils that shelter under the magnificent Sierra de Cantabria range.
Viticulture
With 350 hectares of outstanding vineyards, split across 870 different plots, the viticultural department control every aspect. Each of the plots has its own personality and is categorised and used for different wines according to its characteristics. Vines are situated on slopes and terraces of limestone and clay soil, well exposed to the sun and are at least 65+ years old.
Winemaking
Grapes are hand selected and brought to the winery in the smallest tractors in the region. They are hand sorted at on of the wineries two Mistral sorting tables, where Juan Luis Cañas stands watch at each harvest. Fermentation occurs in French Oak Barrels for 17 days before the wine is aged in new French and American oak for 5 months with a proportion in concrete tank and clay vessels, with battonage on the lees, until bottling.
Tasting Note
A beautifully balanced example of white Rioja that straddles the styles of the old and the new. Vibrant citrussy Viura is blended with the more weighty Malvasia and the brief barrel maturation adds a honeyed roundness to the crisp lemony fruit. Beautiful golden yellow colour with bright lemon-tinted reflections. Elegant, combining hints of flowers, fruits and hazelnuts. Dry, with just enough acidity to make it fresh and lively with a structured and tasty finish of ripe fruit.
Food matching
Perfect with seafood and shellfish, meats, salads, risottos as well as mild cheeses and nuts.
