Protocolo Tempranillo

Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

Non denomination vineyards in Manchuela, Spain.

100% Tempranillo

Dominio de Eguren leases vineyards and controls viticulture under long term contracts in D.O. Manchuela. This fruit is blended with estate grown young vineyards from Rioja & Toro.

1980-2010

Sustainable viticulture at leased vineyards in D.O. Manchuela and young estate vineyards in D.O.Ca. Rioja and D.O. Toro. Vineyards planted on high density trellises to reduce yields.

Calcareous clay soils in Manchuela and Rioja, extremely poor, sandy soils in Toro

Continental climate with Mediterranean and Atlantic infuences

48 hour cold soak in stainless steel prior to fermentation. Fermentation is inoculated with yeasts selected and cultured from their vineyards and cellar. Post fermentative maceration lasts eight days. The wine is cold stabilized and light micro-oxygenation is carried out to soften the tannins.

The wine is bottled young to protect freshness and aromatics.

The Eguren family produces Protocolo Tinto, one of the world's best value wines, from vineyards in Manchuela, Rioja, and Toro. They lease vineyards on long term contracts from farmers in Manchuela who grow Tempranillo on the limestone rich soils at high altitudes in this southeastern corner of Spain. The oldest vineyards are 35 years old, grown sustainably, and dry farmed. These conditions reduce yields and result in incredibly balanced but fruit forward Tempranillo. The Eguren family also blends 10-15% of the wine with young estate grown vineyards in Rioja and Toro, which are planted with massal selections from the family's best estate grown plots. For the first 10-15 years of these vineyards' lives, they are used for Protocolo before they graduate into the estate wines of Rioja and Toro.