ORIGIN OF THE GRAPES:
Vineyard: Proprietary vineyard in “La Veguilla” area, in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, La Rioja. Surface: 15 Has (37 acres). Altitude: 575 m. (1,890 ft). Sun exposure: S.S.E. (South-Southeast). Soils of calcareous clay; abundance of small rounded stones on surface.
Age:
20 to 35 years old vines. Density of plantation: 4,000 vines per hectare. Type of training: Head-trained in goblet and on trellis. Organic fertilization. Environmental integrated agriculture cultivation.
Exhaustive manual harvesting in boxes. Rigorous selection (in a vineyard of exceptional characteristics and low yield -35 Hls./ Ha., 370 gal/acre-) exclusively of just the perfectly-formed, healthy and mature bunches were picked resulting in only 8 % of all the bunches from the vineyard.
FERMENTATION:
Fermented in French oak barrels of 5 hectoliters of capacity and in 2 French oak vats of 10 hectoliters. Pressed by foot twice per day during the 8 days of fermentation.
AGING:
Barrel: 24 months in a different new French oak Bordelaise barrels (“200 % new barrel”). Racking every four months. - Winery
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. - Robert Parker 94-97 Points
200% new French oak) Vivid ruby. An explosively perfumed bouquet exudes scents of black raspberry, blueberry liqueur, violet oil, incense and Asian spices, with a strong mineral overtone. Sweet, palate-staining red and dark fruit flavors are silky and become spicier with air, picking up exotic floral pastille and allspice notes. Refuses to let go of the palate, eventually finishing on notes of candied rose and spicecake. You could perfume a room with this wine. - Stephen Tanzer 94 Points
This powerful red is a blunt instrument now, displaying solid tannins and a thick texture, but there's a deep core of currant and fig, with mineral, sanguine and licorice notes, and this should bloom with time. Best after 2011. 66 cases imported. –TM - Wine Spectator Magazine 91 Points
