VI-VE - La Llave de los Sueños 2020
Bodegas Valdelana is located in Elciego, known as the noble birthplace of Rioja Álavesa wines. The 150-hectare estate sits between the Ebro River and the Sierra de Cantabria mountains. This location lends itself to such delicious fruit because their chalk and clay-laden vineyards face southeast, toward the cooling Ebro, which allows for optimum sun exposure and ensures perfect ripening of the grapes. The mountains offer protection from the gusting northerly winds.
The Valdelana family has been tending these vines since well before the estate was founded in the late 19th century. Juan Jesús, thirteenth-generation owner and current winemaker, is one of the most innovative vignerons in all of Spain. He has worked tirelessly to transform the property not only into a first-class Rioja estate, but also a center of learning. Juan has established a museum showcasing the history of winemaking, which includes a journey through all the senses involved in wine tasting. Today, his children, Juan and Judit, are the 14th generation of the family to work at the winery, ensuring the continued legacy, traditions and values of Bodegas Valdelana.
On a childhood trip to a winery in France, Juan Valdelana and his sister, Judit, heard a winemaker refer to a corkscrew as "the key of dreams." The saying made such an impression on the siblings that when they started the VI-VE project, they decided to use it as the slogan for their wines: La Llave de los Sueños. VI-VE is a blend of 93% Tempranillo and 7% Viura made using carbonic maceration. In the glass, the wine displays a wonderful bright cherry color with violet hues. The nose is vibrant and joyous, exhibiting aromas of fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries alongside notes of red flowers and licorice. The palate is fruit-forward, juicy, lively and full of energy. Flavors of candied berries, fresh cherries and red plums explode in the mouth, balanced by a soft mouthfeel and integrated acidity that pirouette into a smooth, refreshing finish. This is a thirst-quenching red wine, one that I can easily imagine a group of hard-working farmers in Rioja splitting a bottle together over lunch out in the vineyards. Enjoy with a plate of cured meats — including jamón, of course — assorted cheeses and a loaf of fresh-baked bread: perfect!