Bodegas Luis Cañas, Selección de la Familia Rioja Reserva, DOCa Rioja, Spain, 2019

Producer Profile

In 1970 Luis Cañas changed two hundred years of tradition and became the first winemaker in Rioja Alavesa to bottle his young wine rather than sell it as bulk.

This bold move, and his continued pioneering spirit, has cemented the winery's enviable reputation as one of the most progressive in the region. Sheltered below the watchful Sierra Cantabria, the vineyards are all old, small plots on chalky-clay soils with a dedicated team of vineyard workers carrying out organic practices and a purpose built, fully equipped accommodation block was built for the entire vineyard team in 2006.

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. Vines are situated on slopes and terraces of limestone and clay soil, well exposed to the sun, and are at least 45 years old.

Winemaking

Upon entering the Bodega, the grapes were cold macerated for 72 hours. Fermentation at 26º C in sealed cement tanks under temperature control, with the must pumped over daily. The wine is aged in medium toasted American and French oak. The total period in barrels is 20 months. After the final racking, it is clarified, decanted and bottled directly without any type of filtration. Because this wine’s evolutionary cycle is quite slow, only corks of the highest quality available are used to ensure long ageing potential.

Tasting Note

A beautiful ruby colour. A clean nose with good intensity. Complex aromas of leather, ripe sweet fruit and herbs over a base of fine oak. Palate: Potent and juicy with structure and good tenacity. The finish shows lots of spice and is ample, complex, long and persistent.

Food Matching

Best served with pasta dishes, roasted lamb and beef, stews and poultry.

Awards

Tim Atkin Rioja Report 2024 92 Points
One of only a handful of wines in Rioja that contains Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a stylish, well-judged blend of the Bordeaux grape with 85% Tempranillo. Graphite and blackcurrant leaf aromas add an extra dimension to the red berry and bramble fruit here framed by equal proportions of French and American oak. TA, 92 Points, 2024.