Los Yelsones

D.O.Ca. Rioja

North-eastern San Vicente de la Sonsierra, on the border with Ábalos

100% Tempranillo

La Rad single vineyard

1970

Practicing organic viticulture. Goblet-trained, south-east facing orientation in the upper region of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria mountain range. Due to the small size of the project, all viticultural duties including pruning, leaf pulling, plowing by horse, selecting cover crops, and digging soil pits are all carried out by Eduardo.

Calcerous-clay with post glacial sedimentation (moraines) and a high proportion igneous rock, quartzite, and Yelsones (solid block of calcium carbonate for which the wine is named). These blocks of calcium carbonate provide balance in the vineyard and impart a marked freshness on the wine.

Continental with a strong Atlantic influence, which is moderated by the Sierra Cantabria mountain range.

The grapes undergo rigorous double-manual sorting, both before and after destemming. The whole berries ferment spontaneously in 3,000L French oak vats, with very gentle extraction via pigeage. Total maceration lasts around 20 days. Gentle pressing in a vertical basket press. Late malolactic fermentation (May-June) in new 500L French puncheon.

18 months in 500-litre barrels and 3 months in bottle in an 18th-century underground cave. Due to the low temperatures and high humidity, the rate of oxidation is reduced allowing Eduardo to work with low levels of SO2.

Los Yelsones refers to the solid blocks of calcium-carbonate / chalk that permeate the soil of this spectacular single cru in the upper region of San Vicente de la Sonsierra near the border of Ábalos, where the cool mesoclimate results in ripe fruit with a marked floral character. At the same time, Eduardo believes that "Los Yelsones" or blocks of calcium carbonate, imbue the wine with freshness and a chalky mouthfeel. Without a doubt, this is the most mineral and fresh wine that Eduardo produces.