El Puntido Gran Reserva

D.O.Ca. Rioja

Páganos-Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa

100% Tempranillo

El Puntido

1975

Practicing organic dry farmed viticulture with certain selective biodynamic practices. Vineyards trained as spur-pruned goblet vines as well as high density trellises. Manual work and harvest, with no mechanization whatsoever.

Calcareous clay soils that are typical to Laguardia. Limestone rich clay soils that are sandwiched between large slabs of lime-sandstone mother rock.

Continental with heavy Atlantic influences that are moderated by the Sierra Cantabria.

The grapes undergo rigorous double-manual sorting, both before and after destemming. 100% of the clusters are destemmed, but not crushed. Temperature controlled fermentation in 5,000L vats (inoculated) with neutral yeasts selected and cultured from their vineyards and cellars. Maceration lasts 20-30 days. Malolactic fermentation is spontaneous and is carried out in new barrique.

28 months in new French barrique in subterranean cellars. The first six months are carried out sur lie. The wine is racked every four to six months.

The Eguren family produce El Puntido Gran Reserva from a selection of higher altitude, sloped, and lower yielding parcels of the El Puntido estate vineyard. The wine is produced every vintage but in significantly varying quantities depending on the conditions of the vintage. All of the wines from El Puntido display a distinctly mineral, fresh, and savory character emanating from the limestone quality in the soil. This wine displays all of the savory and developed character expected of a great Gran Reserva married with the freshness, fruit, structure, and ageability of the great Gran Reservas of yesteryear.