El Coto Crianza Rioja Magnum 2017 - 1500ml  £26.50

El Coto Crianza Rioja Magnum 2017 - 1500ml

El Coto was founded in 1970 in Rioja Alavesa and has grown from modest beginnings into one of the best known Rioja producers. Today El Coto has over 700 hectares of vineyard in production across the three Rioja DOCa sub-zones of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. They also source grapes from all three areas, but mostly from Rioja Alavesa. Head winemaker César Fernandez oversees production, starting with hand-picking into 350-kilogram crates to ensure the grapes arrive at the winery in pristine condition. Modern and intelligently designed, the emphasis in the winery is on temperature control and gentle handling of the grapes.

The grapes for this wine are sourced mainly from Rioja Alavesa (65%) with some from Rioja Alta (25%) and Rioja Baja (10%). The vineyards are mostly old and divided into small parcels, on limestone and clay soils.

2017 was a challenging vintage, marked by severe frosts in April and summer droughts. Despite the arid summer conditions the region saw some hailstorms, with things only settling down towards the end of the season. Harvest took place earlier than usual and yields were relatively low, however, fruit quality was exceptional with high concentration levels. The Regulatory Board of the DOCa Rioja has awarded the official assessment of ‘Very Good’ to the harvest of 2017, with some wines receiving the highest rating scores of recent years.

The must be fermented in stainless-steel, temperature-controlled tanks at 20-26ºC over a period of 20-25 days. Once fermentation was complete, malolactic fermentation occurred. The wine was then aged for a minimum of 12 months in 225L American oak barrels and a further 6 months in bottle before release.

This wine is a vibrant ruby red in colour with a garnet rim. Aromas of red fruits, vanilla and toast entice the nose. On the palate, the wine's silky texture is tempered by concentrated, red berry fruit and notes of sweet spice from the oak, which culminates in a juicy and persistent finish.