Bodega Lanzaga - Tabuerniga 2019
Price: $98.00
| Producer | Bodega Lanzaga |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Varietal | Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Sku | 000317 |
| ABV | 14.00% |
 |
Bodega Lanzaga is a project of Telmo Rodriguez (best known for his family's Rioja estate, Remelluri, which he brought to fame in the early 1990's) and his partner, Pablo Ejuzkiza. Known as Compania de Vinos, Telmo and Pablo's collaboration aims to identify and restore ancient, indigenous varieties in top vineyards in places like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Toro, Rueda, Cigales, Valdeorras, Cebreros, Alicante and Málaga. In 1999, they purchased a 17th century Bodega in Oullari, a small village south of Haro in Rioja, and set about trying to understand how Rioja was made before phylloxera, chemicals and machines. Lanzaga now consists of 19 hectares of organically farmed vineyards, and Telmo hopes to recreate the vineyards of 150 years ago, where as many as 50 varietals would be co-planted and made into a true field-blend.
Tabuérniga is a 4.1 hectare vineyard — where viticulture has been practiced for more than 1300 years — planted to Tempranillo, some Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha, and lots of Garnacha Blanca. There are nine or more cultivars in total (the genetics have not been entirely identified – Telmo and Pablo like the mystery), with traces of Viura, Moscatel, Maturana, Blanca Roja and Gran Negro. The soils are shallow, stony, silty chalk-clay of very low fertility at an altitude is 540-630 meters. The wines are naturally fermented in 3-4,000 liter open wooden casks, and aged 14 months in 1500 liter foudre. Tabuérniga is elegant, balanced and finessed, a truly remarkable, complex Rioja.
