Finca La Emperatriz Hermanos Hernaiz 2016 Tempranillo and Garnacha

Rioja has traditionally focused on blending grapes from many vineyards, with each winery shaping the wine through its own style. Today, a small number of producers are taking a different approach by growing and bottling wines from their own estate vineyards, highlighting the character of a single place. This "estate" model is still rare in Rioja, but producers like Contino, Remelluri, and Finca Emperatriz are leading the way, offering wines that give a more direct sense of where they come from and a fresh perspective on this classic region.

Finca Emperatriz has produced a beautiful bottling from its Estate that is not to be missed. For those who love red wines from Rioja this is an absolute stunner!

From Wine Advocate (94pts): The top red is the 2016 Finca la Emperatriz Gran Vino Tinto, the finest and most elegant red I remember tasting from the property. It's a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 28% Garnacha and 2% Viura, where Garnacha and the white Viura have an important role to provide some acidity and freshness, even in a cool year when the wines had more natural freshness than in previous vintages. It's a selection from the older vines on sand, gravel and boulder limestone soils from the La Emperatriz estate. It fermented destemmed with some 60% uncrushed grapes in concrete vats and matured in 60% new French barriques and the rest in used American oak barrels for 18 months. It's classical Rioja but with clean and precise aromas and flavors, it is still young.

Very limited!