El Pisón is a single vineyard in the province of Álava in Rioja and is located in the town of Laguardia. The Tempranillo vines were planted in 1945 and are spread over 2.4 hectares. Juan López de Lacalle has succeeded in producing a first-class wine with El Pisón, which brings out the delicate balance between all the natural factors that make up this unique environment. The wine is accompanied by subtle minerality, delicate fruit – reminiscent of wild berries and liquorice – as well as complex and delicate spicy nuances and soft tannins. A wine of natural elegance – made for eternity.

Attributes

Origin:	Spain / Rioja
Grape variety:	Tempranillo
Label:	Certified organic or biodynamic wine
Ripening potential:	3 to 20 years after harvest
Drinking temperature:	16 to 18 °C
Food Pairing:	Châteaubriand, Filet Wellington, Roasted lamb gigot, Bistecca fiorentina, T-Bone steak
Vinification:	long must fermentation, fermentation in wooden barrel, fermentation at low temperatures
Harvest:	hand-picking, strict selection, in small boxes
Maturation:	in partly new and used barriques/ Pièces, bâtonnage
Bottling:	no filtration
Maturation duration:	9 months
Volume:	14.5 %
Note:	Contains sulphites

Producer

Viñedos Lacalle y Laorden

In 2015 the two families of Zapiain and Lopez de Lacalle launched the Izar-Leku Mahastiak project (today Grupo Artadi) in Zarautz/Basque Country, with the aim of producing a table wine as well as a sparkling wine with Txakoli as the base wine. Today this sparkling wine is part of the "Viñedos Lacalle y Laorden" company - just like the premium single-vineyard wine "Viña El Pisón", though this wine comes from the Álava/Rioja region.

Txakoli is a traditional white wine from Spain's Basque Country, made from the native grape varieties of Hondarribi Zuri (white grape, proportion approx. 90%) and Hondarribi Beltza (red grape, proportion approx. 10%), which has developed from a wine that was traditionally enjoyed in local taverns or at home in the family circle into a wine with its own "DO" and strong reputation.

Grape variety

Tempranillo

Iberian Native

The Tempranillo is the emblem of Spain. With its juicy cherry fruit, crisp tannins, and its notes of leather and spices, it gives the Rioja its face. In the Ribera del Duero, it is known as Tinta del país. Here it turns out focused and muscular. As it has inhabited the Iberian Peninsula for centuries, it is known under countless synonyms. Across the border in Portugal, it is called Tinta Roriz, and lends colour and body to port wine. It also plays an important role in the booming wine scene of the Douro Valley. The Tempranillo owes its name to its early maturity – "temprano" in Spanish means "early". Tip: do it like they do in Spain and enjoy it with lamb.

Region

Rioja

Rioja: A legend in upheaval

It is the flagship of the Spanish wine industry: the Rioja region, with its elegant, yet storable wines, most of which are dominated by the Tempranillo, has decisively influenced the image of Spanish wine. Above all, the Reservas and Gran Reservas, aged for years in barrels, enjoy a magical reputation. For about 20 years, the Rioja houses have created a sensation with modern-designed, fruity wines, which are marked more by their terroir than their aging processes.

Country

Spain

Spain – Variety and perfection

“Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember...,” begins Don Quixote's odyssey.

The most famous part is definitely when Don Quixote thinks windmills are his enemy and wants to fight them – until they nearly kill him. It’s possible there was a bit too much of the La Mancha wine at play. Spanish vines fight for their survival in rugged landscapes, battling fierce drought and rough soils. But they fight well.

Rating

Parker 98 Points