Rioja Blanco DOCA, Gómez Cruzado Montes Obarenes

Old bush vine Atlantic Viura adds complexity and a backbone of minerality balancing the textural, ripe fruit and smooth, spicy oak. The finish is rich and long and the wine a characterful partner to full-flavoured, cream-laden dishes.

The fruit is sourced from vineyards near Haro, at the foot of Montes Obarenes, where soils are chalky-clay with a high limestone content. Here the River Ebro enters the Rioja region bringing clouds and cooler temperatures, resulting in excellent quality white grapes. Predominantly Viura, with 25% Tempranillo Blanco – the grapes are hand-picked into 200Kg crates, and are hand-sorted further at the winery. 80% of the must is fermented and aged on fine lees in new French oak barrels, and the remaining 20% is aged on fine lees in egg-shaped concrete tanks.