Tres Viñerones - 'Sedal', San Vicente de la Sonsiera, Rioja Alta, Spain (2021)

TASTING NOTES

Chalky and grainy with bright red berry fruit, a touch of black olives and a tangy, high acidity core. A little spicy and peppery with a savoury meaty tone. 

This small project produces wine with the fresh, crisp fruit flavours, achieved by harvesting the grapes relatively early. Aged for nine months in large, used wooden vats.

3 Viñerones comprises three friends: Carlos from Las Bacantes, Javier from 4 Monos (both growers in Sierra de Gredos), and Nacho, owner of the iconic wine shop La Tintorería in Madrid.

They buy the grapes from Luis Fernández, owner of a tiny 0.55ha vineyard planted in 1982 on one of the most sought-after terroirs of La Rioja Alta. The El Bardallo zone sits at the border between the Rioja Alta and Alavesa, it is named after the local stream close to Labastida village. Luis has been tending his cherished family vineyard as a hobby but with such care that locals nicknamed the parcel 'la niña de Luis'! Following biodynamic principles since 2010 he's also been alternating plowing and cover crops to increase biodiversity and life in its soils.