Bodegas Marques de Tomares "Gran Reserva Blanco Rioja" Rioja, Spain 2016

FROM LA LUZ SELECTIONS:

THE WINE: Vineyard Dry farmed, sustainable/non-certified organic plots from Sotés, Cenicero, Hornos de Moncalvillo, Uruñuela and Hornilleja, ranging from 40-100 years old vines. Continental climate and higher altitudes lead to warm days and cool, fresh nights. The region's calcareous clay and alluvial silt soils retain beautiful acidity allowing the wine to retain maximum freshness and aging potential.

Hand-picked fruit is destemmed, and allowed to go through native fermentation with ambient yeast. Post fermentation, the wine is aged in 90% French, 10% American Oak for 36 months before bottling without fining or filtration. The wine spends 30 months in the cellar before release.

THE PRODUCER: The insanely valued, storied wines from Marqués de Tomares are the perfect expressions of traditional Rioja that is still fresh, fruit forward and beautifully balanced. There is an elegance, a seamless stitch that runs through these vintage classics. Some of the wines have a density and a dark, floral brood… others the leather and spicy wool speak of the blend not often found in Rioja at this price range. With a family grape growing history since 1886, Don Román Montaña founded the winery Marqués de Tomares in 1910, and it is still operated by his grandchildren who continue to maintain the wineries tradition both in the winery and in the estate’s vineyards. With nearly 106 hectares of family owned vineyards, many of which more than 100 years old, spotted throughout Rioja Alta in Haro, Fuenmayor and the surrounding areas, careful viticulture and longtime partnerships with local farmers lend to the precise identity of Marqués de Tomares. The winery is still releasing small amounts of Reserva and Gran Reserva wines in various formats back to 1996, 2000, 2001, 2006.