Bodegas Luis Cañas, Rioja Gran Reserva, DOCa Rioja, Spain, 2017

Producer Profile

Bodegas Luis Cañas has been at the heart of Rioja since 1928. This Estate has played an enormous role in shaping the Alavesa’s – and Rioja’s – modern incarnation.

Comprised of some of the region’s best and highest altitude vineyards, the soil in this area is poor and produces small bunches, perfect for making highly concentrated Rioja wines. Vineyards are split into hundreds of individual plots, planted with gnarly old bush vines on chalky-clay soils, sheltered under the magnificent Sierra de Cantabria range. Rioja Alavesa has the largest number of ‘Viñedo Singulares’ in Rioja and Luis Cañas is an exemplary producer of single vineyard wines from the region. The Estates' Director of Viticulture, Rubén Jiménez, is celebrated for the important research he has conducted in identifying special sites in the Alavesa, as well as recovering an extraordinary number of ‘lost and ancient’ varieties in the family’s vineyards. He was named Grower of the Year by Tim Atkin MW in 2023 for the vital work he is doing to advance and safeguard the region. In 2016, Juan Luis, son of Luis Cañas opened Bodegas Amaren in the neighbouring village of Samaniego, and named his son, Jon Cañas, winemaker.

Viticulture

With 350 hectares of outstanding vineyards, split across 870 different plots, the viticultural department control every aspect. Each of the plots has its own personality and is categorised and used for different wines according to its characteristics. The grapes which are destined for Gran Reserva are from a selection of old vines of an average of 50 years old.

Winemaking

Upon entering the Bodega, the bunches are carefully selected before being de-stemmed so the individual berries can be sorted based on their weight and following a double selection process. They later undergo fermentation and maceration in stainless steel deposits for 8 days obtaining better colour extraction as well as much more complex and tannic wines, suitable for prolonged ageing. The result is a wine that portrays the essence of a classic Rioja. After its primary fermentation, the wine is placed in barrels where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged for a total of 24 months in French and American oak barrels. It is then bottled and aged for another 36 months

Tasting Note

Ruby red with earthy colour notes. Elegant and complex in the nose with a good concentration of black fruit, thyme and rosemary with secondary aromas of leather and tobacco leaves. It is polished and rounded, making it pleasant and easy to drink. Fleshy with both elegance and power. It has touches of black fruit jam and liquorice warm, with a long, delicious and persistent finish.

Food Matching

Enjoy with the classic Riojan dish of lamb chops, roast lamb, stews, Spanish Iberico charcuterie and cold cuts as well as cured cheeses.

Awards

Tim Atkin Rioja 2024 Special Report 93 Points
This single parcel Gran Reserva hails from the Carralciego vineyard in Villabuena de Álava and reflects the recent shift in style at Luis Cañas. Pairing Tempranillo with 5% Graciano, it's a sappy, bright, nicely understated red that will continue to develop in bottle. Gently wooded with blackberry and raspberry fruit and sculpted tannins. 93 Points, TA, 2024.