Sierra Cantabria Mágico

D.O.Ca. Rioja

San Vicente de la Sonsierra

A field blend of varieties comprised of 60% Tempranillo (various clones), 20% Garnacha, 2.5% Graciano, 1.1% Petit Bouschet, and 1.1% other red varieties. The white varieties comprise 4.4% Calagraño, 3.2% Torrontés, and 2.8% Viura

El Vardallo

Grafted and planted with a field blend at the beginning of the 20th century

El Vardallo 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.

Sandy clay loam soil that is low in organic matter. 35-40M in the subsoil there is a cap of iron and limestone rich clay, which is crucial for water retention. At this same depth, the mother rock is present as well.

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

The varieties were all destemmed by hand and sorted rigorously. All of the varieties besides the Garnacha were cofermented and comacerated in small wooden vats. Maceration lasted for 21 days for the cofermented varieties and 15 days for the Garnacha. The cofermented varieties undergo MLF in new French barrique. The Garnacha undergoes MLF in new 500L puncheon.

18 months in new French oak barrique and puncheon.

El Vardallo is the easternmost terroir in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, bordering Labastida, on the eastern ridge overlooking La Canoca valley. For many years, Marcos Eguren vinified the Tempranillo in El Vardallo by itself, and the other field blended varieties were used for the family's village wines. The 2010 vintage was the first that Marcos cofermented and blended all the varieties together. The result, for the Egurens, was pure magic. This is the family's top "Grand Cru" wine from Rioja, a wine that exemplifies the complexity and elegance of one of the oldest vineyards in the Sonsierra.