THE GRAPE Mazuelo is a difficult variety: vigorous, fertile and with a very long cycle, it needs a lot of time to ripen properly. It is also susceptible to most diseases, which explains why it is a grape mainly used in the Mediterranean region. Only the particular characteristics of our La Quinta Cruz vineyard allow us to produce such a wine in Rioja Alta.
THE VINEYARD: La Quinta Cruz was planted in 1986 on the southeast slopes of Monte Calvario in Briones. It is a 1,2 hectare vineyard, steeply sloping, with very shallow sand and gravel soil and completely covered in rocks. All these characteristics prevent the mazuelo from behaving as such (fertile and vigorous) and allow us to produce a 100% mazuelo wine in the heart of Rioja Alta.
THE YEAR: 2020 was a complicated vintage, with a very rainy spring and early attacks of powdery mildew and especially mildew, which particularly affected the vineyards near the Ebro in Rioja Alta and Alavesa. After a stormy start, the summer was hot and dry. Shortly before the start of the harvest, a squall blew and even left snow on the mountains of La Rioja (we will always remember the images of the harvest with snow on the peaks). The rains were good for the vines and the grapes arrived very healthy, with good concentration, very low alcohol content, slightly low acidity and no greenness.
VINIFICATION: The grapes were harvested by hand and transported to the winery in small crates to be checked at the sorting table. Fermentation took place in a small stainless steel tank at a temperature of 24-25ºC, with little pumping over.
AGEING: The wine was aged for 12 months in a 1 liter concrete tank and three 300 liter French oak jars.
BOTTLING: We have bottled 3 bottles of our 898 Mazuelo de la Quinta Cruz, one of the few Rioja wines made solely with the Mazuelo de la Quinta Cruz grape. Mazuelo Grape