Izadi Larrosa Rioja Negra

Country: Spain Region: Rioja

Varietal: 100% Garnacha

Vintage: 2019/20 colour: Red Style: Dry

Producer: Bodegas Izadi

Description:

The Larrosa wines are a new project from the Izadi team, created to showcase the quality of fruit from old bush vine Garnacha. The vineyards are located between 600-800m above sea level, in the village of Tudelilla in Rioja Alavesa. The vines experience warm days and cool nights, as well as Mediterranean and Atlantic influence. The wines display both a vibrancy and freshness few can rival at this price point.

The grapes for this Garnacha were sourced from old bush-trained vines, planted in 1975. The vineyards sit at 700 metres above sea level, meaning the grapes benefit from warm days followed by cool nights and undergo a perfectly paced, slow ripening. This allows them to accumulate great intensity of flavour whilst retaining acidity. The soils are a combination of chalk, clay and pebbles. These old vines are low yielding, around 5 tonnes per hectare, but the fruit that they produce is extremely concentrated.

VINIFICATION The fruit was hand harvested. The grapes were destemmed. Fermentation and malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks and the wine was aged for six months in a combination of second and third fill French and American oak barrels (50/50) to enhance the wine’s texture and impart further aromatic complexity.

Food Matches: Casseroles / Lamb / Beef