Ostatu Reserva is one of the purest, most transparent expressions of high altitude, mountain viticulture in Rioja Alavesa. The tempranillo grapes come from some of their oldest vineyards (50+ years) planted in the traditional goblet method, located on south-facing slopes on the western side of the village of Samaniego, over 600m above sea level, in the foothills of the majestic Sierra de Cantabria mountains. The soils are very poor, heavy calcareous clay with lots of stones and a limestone subsoil. The soils of Samaniego provide the backbone and structure for some of the most exciting and long-lived wines of Rioja. The climate is Mediterranean with strong Atlantic influences pushing in from the Cantabrian Sea, providing exceptional tension and movement in the wines. The resulting wine is a transparent expression of place and vintage destined to age gracefully for decades to come.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested manually with a severe selection process in the vineyards. After a pre-fermentation cold soak, the wine ferments with indigenous yeasts in small stainless steel tanks for 21 days at 28°C, with regular punch-downs and remontage. The wine is then racked into 40% new and 60% one-to-two-year-old French oak barrels where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and ages for 16 months. Finally, the assembled wine spends five months in foudres before being bottled without stabilization or filtration.
Region
Rioja
Subregion
Rioja Alavesa
Appellation
Rioja (Vino de Samaniego)
Village
Samaniego
Vineyards
Cisqueros, El Fustal, El Rincón, and Vadegarú
Elevation
600m
Grapes
100% Tempranillo
Vine Age
30-55 years old
Soil
Clay calcareous and limestone
Fermentation
Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel
Aging
16 months in 40% new and 60% one-to-two year-old barrels and five months in foudre
Farming
Certified Organic by ENEEK (Basque Organic Regulatory Council)
Carbon Neutral
Yes
Vegan
Yes
ABV
14.5%
Pack Size
12x750mL