Producer
Finca Valpiedra is located in the best area of the DOCa Rioja, on a spectacular meander of the river Ebro, and is the only Rioja among the Grandes Pagos de España (Great Estates of Spain). This is partly because single-vineyard wines are so unusual in the region, but in this case the vineyard site itself proved so consistently outstanding that in 1994 the Martínez Bujanda family built a winery at its centre, and kept the best grapes exclusively for these special bottlings.
Vineyard
Warmed by the river and protected from cold north winds by the Sierra de Cantabria, the eighty hectares of Finca Valpiedra enjoy a privileged microclimate. The soil is sandy loam and limestone, which gives excellent natural acidity, with a great many stones that help retain heat and water. The vines average thirty years old and all the grapes were hand harvested in September, with a severe selection.
Winery
The wine was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with a fourteen-day maceration. Following fermentation, it was aged for twelve months in a mixture of French and American oak barriques.
