This white variety is a mutation of Rioja's classic red Tempranillo grape and in good hands makes a characterful white with subtle spice and good body, like a mix of Chardonnay and Semillon with a tropical fruit note.
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Rioja Vega
The origins of Rioja Vega go back to 1882 when Don Felipe Ugalde established a bodega bearing his name in Haro. In 1948 the bodega joined with Bodegas Muerza through marriage and the name disappeared.
In 1983 it was acquired by the Group Principe de Viana and construction of a new winery and a new brand, Rioja Vega, started in January 2001. The winery is located in the town of Viana, 10 km south-east of Logroño, a beautiful walled town that reminds you of the more famous Laguardia. There are also 51 hectares of Tempranillo and 9 hectares of Graciano planted around the winery, and a total of 70 hectares of vineyards is planned spanning both the Rioja Alta and Rioja Oriental regions. Each plot has its own weather station to monitorhumidity and temperature - vital to maintain health throughout the growing season. The goal is to produce high quality grapes from low yields in modern surroundings. Rioja Vega's style tends towards the traditional, with more American oak used than French, but the purity of fruit and the emphasis on quality has produced wines with an excellent reputation amongst their peers. Winemaker Esperanza Elias has been working her magic in a very modest way since taking over in 2007. Barrels are replaced much more frequently, she has brought in egg-shaped stainless steel fermenters to improve extraction and Vega now breeds its own strain of yeasts found in the vineyard. Great value from a bodega on the up.
A wet first half of the 2020 vintage meant a lot of work in the vineyard was needed but a better more consistent second half resulted in some juicy young wines with those ageing in barrel looking very promising. A very good year, 2019 had warm dry conditions but yields were limited by a tricky flowering period. A cooler and wetter year than other recent vintages has endowed the wines of 2018 with greater freshness and lower alcohols. Across the country the wines are showing good aromatics, plenty of weight, and a juicy fresh character. Growers had a complex year in 2017 having to contend with frost, hail and drought. Yields are down as a result, but the picture overall is of good quality particularly in Galicia and the South, Penedès also performed well. The 2016 vintage was pretty good on the whole with Ribera del Duero, Rioja and Rueda having excellent results. 2015 was heralded as the best vintage across Spain in recent years, and particularly so in the north. 2014 saw some good wines made with a little rain in the second half of harvest and low yields. This came after the potentially great 2013 vintage which has given fresh, vibrant, robust wines. The 2012 harvest was also very good, a dry year but yields were low. The run of good to excellent quality goes right back to 2002, with 2011 being an early harvest in good conditions. 2010 was a cooler year, which has delivered a more elegant style of wine – top Riojas are outstanding. 2009 was a warm year with a big harvest of excellent grapes.
Usually delivered the next working day (on orders placed before 1pm on a working day).
Please note, whilst the majority of parcels sent on this service are received next day, this is not guaranteed.
£14.50 Per Delivery Address
£5 On Orders Over £120
We always do our very best to achieve our stated delivery times but please note we can not be responsible for circumstances beyond Tanners control including, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions and supplier and carrier difficulties.
Delivery to other areas - additional charges
For deliveries to the Isle of Wight, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and the main Scottish Islands deliveries are charged at a fixed price of £15 for the first case (up to 12 x 75cl) and £10 for each subsequent case. Rates are calculated automatically at the checkout.
You should allow up to an additional 5 working days over standard delivery for delivery to these areas.
You will appreciate that stock positions are subject to continual change in a multi-channel business. Very occasionally, an item may be out of stock that the website has allowed you to order. We will attempt to contact you to discuss an alternative. In the event that we cannot reach you, to ensure a timely delivery, we will substitute with a similar item of equal or higher value (at no additional cost), unless requested not to do so in your order's delivery instructions.
Returns
If you don't like any wine that you buy from us, for whatever reason, return it within a month of purchase and we shall refund your money without question or delay. Please telephone on 01743 234455 or contact us