RIOJA "El Puntido"

VARIETIES:

Tempranillo 100 %.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ORIGIN OF THE GRAPES:

Vineyard: El Puntido located in Páganos-Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa. Surface: 25 Has. (61.74 acres). Altitude: 600 ms. (1970 ft.). Soils of franc-clay texture and calcareous-clay composition with a deep sandy rocky sub-soil. Year of plantation: 1975. High density of plantation on trellis: 3,367 vines per hectare, (1,364 per acre), 84,175 vines in total. Organic fertilization every 2 years.
Date of harvest: First week of October, 2005. Exhaustive hand selection and harvest in boxes of perfectly healthy, ripe grapes; further selection made in the winery using a double sorting table (bunches and berries selection). Yield: 26 Hls./ Ha.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VINIFICATION:

Traditional elaboration, 100% destemmed.
Pre-fermentative maceration during 5 days at 6ºC (42.8º F) with very light pump-overs and a light aeration.
Alcoholic fermentation: 8 - 10 days. Temperature controlled between 29º and 31ºC with 2 or 3 daily pump-overs during the first phase and a daily pump-over at the end.
Post-fermentative maceration: during 3 weeks.
Directly barreled into new French oak Bordelaise barrels where the malolactic fermentation will take place and where it will stay on its fine lees during the first 4 months.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AGING-STABILIZATION:

Barrel: 18 months in new Bordeaux barrels of French oak as of November 2005. Rackings every four months. Bottled in November 2007.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VINTAGE:

Cold winter with abundant showers in the form of snow, which favoured the accumulation of water reserves suitable for all the vegetative cycle. The start of spring was somewhat cold, delaying the bud breaking, which began at the start of May, showing satisfactory fertility. The climate conditions improved afterwards. They can be considered almost idyllic (temperature, atmosphere and ground humidity) allowing acceleration in the development of the vegetation and correcting in some ways the delay at the beginning. Intermittent rains, mid May and beginning of June compliment the suitable development. Throughout the remaining vegetative cycle, the showers disappear giving way to disease free and exceptionally healthy fruit. Verasion begins at the start of August and develops rapidly. At the end of August an important thematic contrast occurs, (warm/sunny days and cool nights) which provokes and acceleration in the maturation and an important accumulation of fenolic compounds in the grapes. During the second week of September, there is a decrease in temperatures which delays maturation.Harvest begins during the last week of September, 15 days earlier than usual and in exceptional climatic conditions. Spectacular bunches are collected, in terms of maturity, health and presence, which results in structured, elegant and extraordinary well balanced wines. As of 12 October, with 10% of the harvest still to be collected, rain (80 litres/ m2) provokes a significant difference to the remaining must, in comparison to the grapes which were harvested previously.