Now we’ve explained the youngest level in terms of ageing of the wines certified by the D.O.Ca. Rioja we can move on to talk about the next level: Crianza.
In this case we do have an example within our range of a wine in this category and we will see what the Rioja Regulatory Council demands of the wineries in terms of legislation and what we apply to Montecillo Crianza.
Let’s start by clearing up an important detail: the requirements do not only enter into the periods that the wines have to spend ageing (at least two years starting from the 1st October of the year of the harvest in question) but also stipulate the size of the barrel, 225 litres, where the red wines should spend at least a year, and the whites and rosés six months, supplemented with bottle ageing.
This is because for the D.O.Ca Rioja the quality of the wines that it labels is very important, with this barrel size constituting the ideal in terms of the quality of these wines, larger barrels could generate more insipid and very maderized wines.
It also goes as far as to mention specific dates from which the ageing is counted so the figures are not distorted and to avoid some wineries doing it one way and others another way.
Here harmonization is the key. This said, it is necessary to clarify that these are minimum regulation terms, that is to say, you cannot produce wines below these requirements, but you can exceed them as you wish.
We see fit to age our Montecillo Crianza for 18 months in semi-new American oak of the very highest quality. That is to say, that it does not just meet but actually exceeds the conditions imposed by the regulations by six months. During the phase of bottle ageing, the absence of oxygen causes the primary aromas of the grape to diminish and the tertiary aromas of ageing start to appear, giving the wine complexity. Also, the tannic sensation is polished in the mouth and therefore the wine’s astringency is reduced, making it smoother and finer on the palate. The wine is released to market when the winemaker believes that it has reached the optimum conditions for consumption, being elegant, balanced and rounded.
You will have realised that we use semi-new wooden barrels. This is another important topic that is very often overlooked. Semi-new wood means that it has been used for the ageing of other wines; in our case it is usually the second or third use. The reason for this is because it is less invasive and therefore produces more fruity red wines. Therefore, the vanilla aromas that come from oak ageing integrate better with the wine and make it more balanced.
After spending time in oak it is aged in bottle for another six months before release. This «resting period» in the bottle is fundamental. As well as being one of our hallmarks that marks us apart from the rest, it helps the wine to stabilize without submitting it to the interchange of flavours that occurs with oak, and allows it to reach the consumer in optimum conditions.
This is all with the objective of providing our customers with one of the best combinations of Tempranillo and Graciano that can be found in the Rioja Alta. Without this bottle ageing the wine would be too raw and over-oaked. With the laying-down period that we give to our Montecillo Crianza we make sure that you can fully enjoy a wine that is released to market when polished, standing out for its balanced, elegant, fresh and floral profile.
We should not forget that a wine should taste of fruit.
