Wine Cellar

Wine:  The Charge Red

Wine:  The Charge White

Wine:  The Charge White

Wine:  Vina Cubillo Crianza

Wine:  Vina Gravonia Crianza Blanco

Firm and fresh, this lithe white offers quince, almond, beeswax, vanilla and spice notes, kept lively and focused by grapefruit-scented acidity. There's no fat here, but this has plenty of future ahead of it. Drink now through 2015. 2,500 cases made. –TM

Wine:  Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva

Wine:  Vina Tondonia Riserva

Still firm and fresh, this red is aromatic with berry, dried cherry, tea and sandalwood notes. A bit candied, but lively, showing good intensity. Drink now through 2011. 20,833 cases made

Wine:  Vina Tondonia Riserva Blanco

Wine:  Vina Tondonia Riserva Magnum

Wine:  Vina Tondonia Rosado Riserva

A current release is the 2000 Vina Tondonia Rosado, a blend of 60% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, and 10% Viura aged for 4.5 years in oak and 6 years in bottle. Orange/pink in color, it still displays some fruit on the nose leading to a wine with notes of bitter almonds, hazelnuts, rhubarb, and cranberry. Definitely not your typical rose!

Wine:  San Vicente

The 2006 San Vicente is a glass-coating purple/black color offering up a brooding bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, licorice, plum, and blackberry. Opulent and rich on the palate with layers of succulent fruit, it has 6-8 years of aging potential and should be at its best from 2016 to 2026.

Wine:  San Vicente

The 2007 San Vicente is in bottle but not yet released. It exhibits a similar aromatic and flavor profile to the 2008 but appears to be a more forward offering that should provide pleasure through 2022. Senorio de San Vicente is one of several outstanding estates owned and operated by the Eguren family. The wine is made from 100% Tempranillo Peludo known for its tiny berries and exceptional aromatics. The grapes are sourced from a single vineyard and typically aged for 20 months in new, mostly French oak before bottling without filtration.

Wine:  San Vicente magnum

The 2006 San Vicente is a glass-coating purple/black color offering up a brooding bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, licorice, plum, and blackberry. Opulent and rich on the palate with layers of succulent fruit, it has 6-8 years of aging potential and should be at its best from 2016 to 2026.

Wine:  San Vicente magnum

The 2007 San Vicente is in bottle but not yet released. It exhibits a similar aromatic and flavor profile to the 2008 but appears to be a more forward offering that should provide pleasure through 2022. Senorio de San Vicente is one of several outstanding estates owned and operated by the Eguren family. The wine is made from 100% Tempranillo Peludo known for its tiny berries and exceptional aromatics. The grapes are sourced from a single vineyard and typically aged for 20 months in new, mostly French oak before bottling without filtration.

Wine:  Amancio

The 2006 Amancio is more approachable. A deep purple in color, it displays aromas of pain grille, mineral, espresso, lavender, black cherry and blackberry. Dense and full-flavored on the palate, it has a smooth texture, excellent balance, and several years of aging potential. Drink it from 2014 to 2026.

Wine:  Amancio

The 2007 Amancio, tasted from a barrel sample, is a glass-coating opaque purple/black color which delivers an expansive aromatic array of pain grille, fresh asphalt, incense, Asian spices, blackberry, and black cherry. On the palate it shows off a suave personality with the oak well-integrated behind layers of plush fruit. Very intense and exceptionally lengthy, it will benefit from 6-8 years of additional cellaring and drink well from 2018 to 2032 if not longer

Wine:  Collection Privada

The 2008 Collecion Privada was sourced from 2 vineyards ranging in age from 55-60 years. It was aged for 18 months in 100% new French and American oak. Loaded with spice, incense, and floral notes along with toasty oak and black fruits, on the palate it is dense, round, plush, and succulent. Give this pleasure-bent Rioja another 5-6 years of cellaring and enjoy it through 2028.

Wine:  Crianza

The 2007 Crianza was aged in seasoned French and American oak for 15 months before bottling without filtration. Smoke, leather, cinnamon, incense, and blackberry are some of the elements jumping from the glass of this smooth-textured, generously stuffed, savory offering. Excellent volume and length suggest that this exceptional value will provide enjoyment through 2019.

Wine:  Finca El Bosque

The 2007 Finca El Bosque is purple/black in color with a perfume of wood smoke, graphite, truffle, espresso, black cherry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, voluptuous, and already complex, it possesses 8-10 years of aging potential. Its drinking window will reach from 2018 to 2037.

Wine:  Finca El Bosque

The 2008 Finca El Bosque, tasted from a barrel sample, is deep purple-colored with an expressive perfume of new oak, pencil lead, Asian spices, violets, and assorted black fruits. On the palate it has plenty of fine-grained tannin, layers of ripe fruit, and excellent balance. It will profit from 6-8 years of cellaring following release and drink well for 10-15 years thereafter.

Wine:  Gran Reserva

The 2004 Gran Reserva was aged for 24 months in 25% new French oak. Dark ruby-colored, it delivers a nose of roasted herbs, mineral, wood smoke, lavender, and black cherry. Ripe on the palate with plenty of savory fruit, it has good grip, considerable depth, and a lengthy, firm finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of additional bottle age and drink well from 2012 to 2024.

Wine:  Organza Blanco

Bodegas Sierra Cantabria’s new releases include one white wine, the 2009 Organza. It is a blend of 65% Viura, 18% Malvasia, and 17% Garnacha Blanca. It was barrel-fermented with the first 6 months sur lie with batonnage followed by an additional 8 months of aging. It sports an inviting nose of buttered popcorn, mineral, melon, baking spices, and tropical aromas. Round, smooth-textured, and impeccably balanced, it is likely to evolve for 2-3 years and will deliver optimum drinking from 2014 to 2021. It is one of the finest whites of the Rioja DO.

Wine:  Reserva

The 2005 Sierra Cantabria Reserva spent 18 months in 20% new French and American oak. It sports a fragrant, earthy, spicy nose with aromas of incense and blackberry. Already complex on the palate, this medium to full-bodied wine has enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years. Drink it from 2013 to 2025.

Wine:  Reserva Magnum

The 2005 Sierra Cantabria Reserva spent 18 months in 20% new French and American oak. It sports a fragrant, earthy, spicy nose with aromas of incense and blackberry. Already complex on the palate, this medium to full-bodied wine has enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years. Drink it from 2013 to 2025.

Wine:  Seleccion Cosecha

Sierra Cantabria’s entry-level red, the 2009 Tinto was aged for 6 months in tank followed by 6 months in seasoned oak. Spice box, cedar, incense, violets, and black fruits inform the nose of this savory, easygoing, friendly wine. Nicely proportioned and surprisingly long in the finish, this is an excellent value meant for drinking over the next 4-5 years.

Wine:  El Puntido

The 2007 El Puntido is in bottle but not yet released. Deep purple in color, it is a denser, more structured wine than the 2008. It gives up an aromatic array of mineral, Asian spices, smoke, balsamic, and blackberry. Succulent and already becoming complex, this lengthy offering should evolve for another 3-4 years and have a 20-25 year lifespan. Vinedos de Paganos, one of the outstanding Rioja estates, is owned by the Eguren family. The El Puntido cuvee comes from the single Tempranillo vineyard of the same name planted in 1975. It is typically aged in new French oak for 18 months before bottling without filtration.

Wine:  El Puntido Magnum

The 2007 El Puntido is in bottle but not yet released. Deep purple in color, it is a denser, more structured wine than the 2008. It gives up an aromatic array of mineral, Asian spices, smoke, balsamic, and blackberry. Succulent and already becoming complex, this lengthy offering should evolve for another 3-4 years and have a 20-25 year lifespan. Vinedos de Paganos, one of the outstanding Rioja estates, is owned by the Eguren family. The El Puntido cuvee comes from the single Tempranillo vineyard of the same name planted in 1975. It is typically aged in new French oak for 18 months before bottling without filtration.

Wine:  La Nieta

The 2007 La Nieta displays aromas of pain grille, pencil lead, incense, and assorted black fruits leading to a full-bodied, voluminous, intense wine with plenty of structure and impeccable balance. This lengthy effort merits 5-7 years of cellaring and should be at its best from 2015 to 2027, if not longer.

Wine:  La Nieta

The 2008 La Nieta, tasted from barrel, is purple-colored with a racy, slightly high-toned perfume of mineral, lavender, spice box, incense, and black cherry. This is followed by a dense, structured wine with plenty of savory fruit for balance. This will be an elegant version of La Nieta that should evolve for 4-5 years and drink well through 2030.