Region: Rioja, Spain

Composition:  85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Maturana Tinta

History: Dionisio Ruiz Ijalba planted his first vineyard in 1975 on a former open-cast mine. Onto this land, already exhausted, he added some 50 or 60 cm. of poor soil, which came from land clearance. In this way, he reproduced the traditional soils of quality Rioja vineyards, which had low production, typical of the area—land on the hillsides that were shallow and relatively infertile. Viña Ijalba has over 90 hectares of vineyards around Logroño, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, and Valle del Iregua.

Tasting Notes:

Deep cherry red. Black and red fruit, hints of undergrowth and fallen leaves, combined with vanilla and coconut. A rounded wine with a balanced acidity, rich fruit, and tannins