Sierra Cantabria CVC

D.O.Ca. Rioja

Both the vineyard and winery are located in San Vicente de la Sonsierra.

100% Tempranillo, which comprises 90% of the El Pelayo vineyard.

Viñedo el Pelayo, planted on the slopes of the family's new winery on the outskirts of San Vicente.

1960

Extremely traditional Rioja viticulture. El Pelayo is 100% head trained and dry farmed. Worked entirely manually and plowed by horse. The Eguren family employs certain biodynamic techniques to ensure sustainability and maintenance of a diverse microbiome in the soil. The vineyards are naturally fertilized every two years.

The topsoil is calcareous clay with an extremely high 8% of active limestone. The subsoil is comprised of layers of clay, sandstone, and limestone, which is very typical in San Vicente.

Continental with heavy Atlantic influences that are moderated by the Sierra Cantabria.

The bunches are destemmed by hand and undergo rigorous sorting and selection at the winery. Extended maceration in small wooden vats that between vintages lasted between 25 and 31 days. Malolactic fermentation in new French oak barriques. The Eguren family vinified vintages 2005 to 2015 before selecting a blend of 2008, 2009, and 2010 for this unique release. Each vintage was vinified and aged separately and the blend was created in June of 2015.

All three vintages were aged separately for seven, six, and five years respectively in barrique. The blend was assembled in June of 2015.

The Eguren family dreamt up Sierra Cantabria CVC in 2005 when they were impacted by a bottle of spectacular Rioja from the 1925 vintage. They were startled by the wines youth, intensity, and complexity even after 80 years in bottle. They learned that the particular wine in question had been aged for up to 15 years in barrel (a percentage new), and they set out to produce their own long lasting Rioja. By 2015 they had vinified 10 vintages, and selected 2008, 2009, and 2010 as the wines for the final blend. 2008 demonstrated a freshness, acidity, and nerve necessary for long life. 2009 demonstrated the richness, fullness, and gyceric qualities of such a warm vintage. Finally, 2010 demonstrated the marvelous balance that was seen across Rioja in one of the appellations blockbuster vintages of the past 50 years.