Vivanco Rioja Crianza magnum 2016

Rioja Alta Crianza

This sophisticated Crianza is a fine example of contemporary Rioja. So certainly not a traditional wine, often matured too long in old oak casks, with a somewhat stripped-down, dry taste structure. The tempranillo grapes are picked late - only in October - and come from our own vineyards in Rioja Alta.

After the alcoholic fermentation, the lactic acid fermentation follows in oak casks, in which the wine is then aged for about sixteen months. All treatments in the basement, such as the traditional transfer from cask to cask, take place without pumps and with the help of gravity.

Although this is an expensive and time-consuming way of working, it results in an extremely refined wine with a pure smell and taste. One of the tastiest Crianza's we know.

Vivanco: top producer of refined Rioja with French influences
English wine writer Tim Atkin places Rafael Vivanco high in the top 10 of modern winemakers in Rioja. Rafael, one of the two sons of founder Pedro Vivanco, is reluctant to use new oak and seeks vineyard and grape expression.

It harvests when the skin is perfectly ripe and therefore contains silky tannins. Rafael learned the modern way of making wine in Bordeaux, where he studied oenology and gained practical experience. He applies that knowledge in his new bodega, where he makes beautiful wines using a sophisticated mix of classic and modern techniques.