Product Description
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Bodegas Tobía, Reserva Tinto, 2016, Rioja Alta, Spain
Producer Profile
Óscar Tobía, trained as an Agricultural Engineer and completed a Master in Viticulture and Oenology. In 1994 he undertook his business adventure by founding his vital project: Bodegas Tobía. Betting from the outset on innovation and creativity, he produced the first barrel-fermented rosé in Spain in 1996, Alma Tobía.
He is a pioneer in Europe in using intelligent tanks that respect the environment and allow for maximum expression and quality wines to be obtained. His business vocation was awarded the Internationalization Award by the La Rioja Chamber of Commerce in 2002.
Viticulture
This vintage has been both of high quality and moderate yields too, due mainly to the fertility of the flowering and grape setting period that was kept till the end of the ripeness process. Luckily, we also got the advantage of the favourable weather conditions during the ripening period (September and October), that are always crucial, allowing the harvest to be of high quality, with absence of plagues and diseases. Harvest time was normal, delayed 3 weeks compared to the previous vintage 2015, that was the earliest so far in historical records. Though, the most remarkable fact was the slowed-down ripeness of the different plots what extended the harvest period further two months till the end of October obtaining perfectly ripened grapes and thus an excellent vintage.
Tempranillo (91%) comes from three selected vineyards in Rioja Alta not over 5,500 kgs/ha yield.
Maturana Tinta (9%). coming from an organically grown vineyard located in Hormilla at an altitude of 650 meters and planted in 2008 on a low nutrient and shallow clayish ferric soil with gravel substrate. Western-East orientation and continental microclimate. Yield in 2016 no more than 3,500 kgs/ha.
Winemaking
Pre-fermentative whole and destemmed berry cold maceration carried out at controlled temperature of 10-12 ºC for 3 days. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out with natural yeast in tank at a controlled temperature of 22-24ºC. Malolactic Fermentation took place in brand new and second year medium toast French (90%) and Hungarian barrels (10%) and then aged for 25 months.
Natural Stabilization took place in the same barrels, without tartaric acid addition, and bottled without filtration. The aging was completed keeping the wine for more than 15 months into bottle so as to respect the quality of the wine.
Tasting Note
Intense and elegant stream of aromas first showing fruits such as dried prunes, cherries and liquorice. Then spicy notes like black pepper, cloves and cedar tree arise over a fragrant background of toffee and smoky hints. Complex nose with mineral notes and very well integrated oak. On the palate it is gentle, velvety, and voluminous. Meaty, rounded full bodied and unctuous. Rounded feeling in the mouth. Ripe with a long and lingering finish. Very polished tannins with highly spicy aftertaste.
Goes well with
Slow roasted lamb.
Cellaring
Lovely now but will improve over 8-12 years with careful cellaring.
Features
Varieties: Tempranillo 91%, Maturana Tinta 9%
Colour: Red
ABV: 15%
Closure: Natural Cork
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 6 x 75cl
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Vintage: 2016
