Country: Spain  Region: Rioja Varietal: Tempranillo Vintage: 2018 Colour: Red   Style: Dry Producer: Bodegas El Coto de Rioja El Coto was founded in 1970 in Rioja Alavesa and has grown from modest beginnings into one of the best known Rioja producers. Today El Coto has over 700 hectares of vineyard in production across the three Rioja DOCa sub-zones of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. They also source grapes from all three areas, but mostly from Rioja Alavesa. Head winemaker César Fernandez oversees production, starting with hand picking into 350 kilogram crates to ensure the grapes arrive at the winery in pristine condition. Modern and intelligently designed, the emphasis in the winery is on temperature control and gentle handling of the grapes. Description: The grapes for this wine are sourced mainly from Rioja Alavesa (65%) with some from Rioja Alta (25%) and Rioja Oriental (10%). Soils are mainly limestone and clay. The must is fermented in stainless steel tanks at 20-26ºC over a period of 20-25 days. Once fermentation is complete, malolactic fermentation is encouraged. The wine is aged for a minimum of 12 months in American oak and a further 12 months in bottle before release. Tasting Note: The nose is fresh and pronounced with excellent fruit concentration. On the palate, it is clean and well balanced, with a core of strawberry fruit complemented by subtle vanilla notes from the oak. The finish is juicy and long. Notes: Vegan Friendly | Certified Sustainable