Photo exhibition "Landscape, Riojan culture and vineyards in Rioja Alta"

From last 2sd September to 15th we have in Bodegas Santalba an awsome picture exhibition about the  "Landscape, Riojan culture and vineyards in Rioja Alta' by Rafael López-Monné.

This exhibition will be present in different places and establishment member of Rioja Alta Route and it is also a perfect excuse to come and visit our winery located in hearth of this wine region, Gimileo. Remember that you should book your visit before and you can do it by phone (+34) 941 304 231 or send an email to santalba@santalba.com

Book your wine tour!

Flowering in the vineyards

When the warm weather finally arrived in early June, tempranillo vineyards bloomed and this is one of the most important moments during the vine period. Good weather and climate conditions are critical for quality and quantity. The flowering will be decisive to limite the number of grapes per bunch and the production of each vineyard.

Flowers are very small, light and like the other flowers, really weak. This part of the vine is the most delicated part of the plant and that is why we should be alert and following the blooming process.

Vinegrowers also have to prevent the posible diseases and make treatments to prevent bacterias and fungus. There are a lot of different kinds of products to prevent but in each moment we have to choose the best for the vine and in this case, the flower.

BRONZE MEDAL IN INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE

Last May took place the XXX edition of International Wine Challenge, one of the most important wine congress. In this annual competition, judges evaluate the wines with blind tastings and valued the variety character, region and harvest.

This year, the judges from all around the world, including prestigious Masters of Wine, tasted wines from 50 different countries. After the tastings, they gave the traditional awards from this competition.

Our wine Ermita de San Felices Crianza 2010 received the Bronze medal. For us, it is a huge honor and we really appreciate your mentions and greetings. This give us special energy to continue doing well and trying to improve everyday. Thanks for your support!

Rioja, a Designation with a long history and tradition

Rioja, our region, is a Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. Qualified designation of origin) with a huge variety of climates and relief, so that is why it is divided into three different subregions called:

-         Rioja Alta

-         Rioja Baja

-         Rioja Alavesa

Where winelovers will find different varieties and wine styles. Bodegas Santalba is located in Gimileo, heart of Rioja Alta.

Rioja Wine from the D.O.C. is identify because of its special labels which are numbered and each winery will have a limited number of them, depends on the grapes its harvest. Here you have some history about Rioja:

1787: The Real Economic Society of Cosecheros de Rioja is created to increase the wine market and vines cultivation.

1790: The first assembly is celebrated by the Real Economic Society of Cosecheros de Rioja.

1878: The first commission against the phylloxera is celebrated.

1892: The “Estación de Viticultura y Enología” in Haro is founded to control the wine quality.

1902: A new law to define the origin of Rioja wines is created.

1926: The Consejo Regulador is created to control as a supreme organism.

1991: The Designation of Origin starts to be Qualified "Rioja".

The best choice is if you visit us in Rioja and Bodegas Santalba, where we will show you the most beautiful landscapes, curiosities and rules we must follow to elaborate our specials Rioja wines, and you will have the marvelous possibility to taste some wine.

Peñin Guide points to Bodegas Santalba Rioja Wines

Year by year, after a huge effort it is fantastic to have a good feedback and get these fantastic points from Peñin Guide whom always gives to our wines wonderful positions in its classification:

Nabot Single Vineyard 2005

ERMITA DE SAN FELICES RESERVA 2008 - 88 POINTS

Click here for tasting notes

NABOT SINGLE VINEYARD 2005 - 89  POINTS

Click here for tasting notes

OGGA RESERVA 2008 - 90 POINTS

Click here for tasting notes

Santalba Limited Edition 2008

SANTALBA ECOLÓGICO RESVERATROL 2011 - 90 POINTS

Click here for tasting notes

SANTALBA LIMITED EDITION 2008 - 89 POINTS

Click here for tasting notes

VIÑA HERMOSA RESERVA 2008 - 88 POINTS

Click here for tasting notes

Thanks everybody to make this posible and please continue following our day by day!

Wine process - Part III

After this alcoholic fermentation and as we have been talking about, wine should have another fermentation called Malolactic fermentation. This point of fermentations is really important and a decisive aspect for the final result.

This process is done when the malic acid turn into lactic acid because of the lactic bacteria. During the process there is a very important emission of carbonic gas, and that is why the winery and the elaboration area has a very modern and sophisticated alarm system to detect the carbonic level and, just in case, get it out from the winery.

This fermentation is also called Secundary fermentation.

Temperature control panel

The malolactic fermentation effects are the depletion of the total acidity because part of it turned it into carbonic gas. This gas is lost and detached during the process.

The acid malic fermentation is caused because of the development of the lactic bacteria located in the ripe grape skin.

In Bodegas Santalba, fermentations are controlled and supervised by a very modern and innovative temperature control system where a panel tell us how is working each tank and if necessary send cold or hot in each moment.

When this stage is concluded we have different options to continue the wine process until the wine will be in our cups... keep and eye and we will continue soon

Wine process - Part I

After to show this grafic on our Social Networks, some friends have been asking about it and that is why we want to explain you our "know how" of Rioja Wine Process. We hope you will enjoy it and please, if you have any question, ask us

As you know, all the process starts in the vineyards, after the hard work done during the year around the 10th of October, the HARVEST starts in Bodegas Santalba. Depends on the year, the climate for example will be an important factor to get different quality. The Consejo Regulador from D.O.Ca. Rioja will calificate the harvest after some tests and facts as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Satisfactory and Average.

All the grapes are not from the same vine and vineyard, so they will have different features. For example, if they come from very old vineyards, like the grapes we use for our Santalba Single Vineyard (http://www.santalba.com/vinos/?acc=vinos&fam=8&idv=17&idc=8 ) they will have "special" characteristis to survive a long ageing process into the barrels and bottles. That is why not every year we have these special wines. 

 In the picture above the text, you can see the grape process falling down into the machine,  where the grapes will be separated the fruit from the "green" part by the destemmer. The green part will be rejected and the grape, quite broken goes to the tanks where the grape juice in touch with the grapes will do the maceration.
After this, we send the grapes to the press. This process now is done by very modern machines but the traditional way to press the grapes were like the picture, done by people in half barrels, just walking above them. 

Now starts a very important moment in the wine process the FERMENTATION. We have two different the ALCHOLIC and the MALOLACTIC and we will explain the differences between them soon.