Familia Montana Finca La Valentina Crianza Rioja DOCa 2020

The Montaña family traces its heritage to the origins of the modern Rioja wine industry in the late 19th century. Román Montaña consolidated the family business in 1920 as the viticultural component of one of Rioja’s grand old marques, situated in medieval cellars underneath Haro, capital of Rioja Alta. The Montaña family retains portions of these impressive cellars to this day.

Román’s grandson Oscar Montaña currently directs a vineyard estate comprising over 270 acres of prime sites in the Rioja Alta and Alavesa districts. The Montaña vineyards boast a high average vine age, many vines dating to the immediate postphylloxera period and including significant acreage of the rare Graciano.

Grape Varietals & Region: 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano from the Finca La Valentina plot. Planted in 1985 on clay calcareous, ferrous, alluvial soils

Taste Profile: Drinks like a young Rioja Reserva, offering up Rioja Alta’s freshness, warmth and precision in a velvet glove. Ripe blackberry and cassis aromas infused with touches of vanilla on the nose. Forest berry fruit on the palate, followed by an intriguing mélange of leather, spice, and hints of cacao.

Winemaking Process: The fruit is handpicked, and destemmed before fermentation under controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged for 12 months in American & French oak barrels, followed by a further 6 months in bottle before release