Valenciso Rioja Reserva 2016

From humble beginnings in the Rioja Alta region in 1998, Luis Valentin and Carmen Enciso have come a long way. Starting out in rented space, it was only in 2009 that they had a cellar to call their own. Their name, Valenciso, is a portmanteau of their surnames (Valentin & Enciso) and reflects their 28 years of combined experience in Rioja. Starting out with just 24 000 bottles in 1998, made completely independently, Valenciso is now an army of seven. Their collective mission is simple: to place quality before quantity, and to produce a rich, elegant, benchmark Rioja.

Production has since increased to 100 000 bottles a year, although 70% remains within the borders for the Spaniards to enjoy. Although a little bit of white is made each year, Valenciso focusses on only one wine, a Reserva. The 12 hectares of low-yielding vineyards are 100% Tempranillo, providing only 5 tons per hectare (25% of the region’s average yield). Aging is done in French barriques, usually for 12 – 16 months. The philosophy is simple: maturation is equally split between new, second, and third fill barrels.