Señorío de San Vicente - San Vicente Rioja 2018

In the early 1980’s, Marcos and Miguel Angel Eguren requested that their father scour the family’s 100 Ha of vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra for the lowest yielding individual vines of Tempranillo. In 1985, the family planted the 18 Ha. La Canoca single vineyard in San Vicente to a massal selection of these low yielding plants. As the vineyard took shape, the vines all shared similar ampelographic characteristics – smaller berries, looser clusters, and a velvety bloom on the subsurface of the leaves. The family was mocked for planting a selection of their “worst vines.” When the first vintage of San Vicente was commercialized almost 10 years later, the family endured more derision when the wine was priced above any Reserva in the appellation. The following year, the wine was released without ageing classification, becoming Rioja’s first single cru ageing declassified wine. For lovers of the Eguren family’s wines, San Vicente tends to elicit a special emotion as one of Rioja's first exhaustive projects to release a premium cuvée that expressed the character of a specific vineyard cru. Today, San Vicente is recognized as one of the appellations most important modern classics.

Aging 20 months in new Bordelaise barrels of French oak (90 %) and American oak (10 %).

Garnet red cherry. Delicate nose, good reduction and toasty creamy notes with rich licorice flavors and mountain herbs in this generous red, offering and elegant palate, fresh with well integrated tannins and a smooth finish.

"Inky ruby. Powerful, oak-spiced cherry cola, blackberry, potpourri and vanilla scents show sharp definition and pick up a smoky aspect with air. Seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering intense red and dark fruit, floral pastille and mocha flavors and a touch of exotic spices. Shows excellent focus and spicy drive on a long, supple finish framed by finely interwoven tannins. All new oak, 90% French and 10% American." - 94 points, Vinous

"The 2018 San Vicente is 100% Tempranillo Peludo. It's another deep purple-hued, incredibly impressive Rioja offering brilliant purity in its cassis and currant fruit as well as notes of spicy wood, licorice, tobacco leaf, and chocolaty aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this elegant, balanced, pure, graceful Rioja will keep for a decade. Best After 2022" - 93 points, Jeb Dunnuck

Producer: Señorío de San Vicente

Country: Spain

Region: La Rioja

Varietal: Tempranillo

Appellation: Rioja

Vintage: 2018

Size: 750ml