Country: Spain Region: Rioja
Varietal: Tempranillo and blends
Category: Red Wine Style: Dry
Producer: Izadi
Description:"Owned and run by Lalo Anton and his family, 'Izadi', which means 'nature' in the Basque language, is a project established from a passion for gastronomy and wine. The estate was founded in 1987 by Gonzalo Anton, Lalo's father, who at the age of 37 and with a background in restaurants, decided to create his own winery. As a result, they produce modern, perfumed, food friendly wines that are true to their roots and a natural expression of the area, unhindered by the sort of deviant flavours that are all too common in Rioja. As well as the winery, the family also run the Michelin-starred restaurant, Zaldiaran, in nearby Vitoria.The winery sits in the small village of Villabuena in the Rioja Alavesa, the highest part of the region, at 400-600 metres above sea level. All of the 187 hectares of vineyards, either owned or leased on long term contracts, are located in the triangle formed by the three villages of Villabuena, Samaniego and Abalos. Due to the high altitude, there is a dramatic difference (up to 20°C) in temperature between night and day, which encourages the development of aromatics in the grapes. The distinctive white calcareous soils are mainly planted with old Tempranillo vines, traditionally bush trained for better exposure to the sun and ranging from 30-100 years old.Ruth Rodriguez is at the head of the winemaking team, a young and dynamic winemaker with experience in Sicily, New Zealand and Chile. The Rioja Blanco, made from a blend of 80% Viura and 20% Malvasia, is a modern style of white Rioja, combining purity of fruit with a subtle use of new French oak to add further complexity. Izadi's flagship wine, the Rioja Reserva, uses only hand-picked grapes from 30-40 year old vines. The wine is aged for 14 months in top quality American and French oak barrels and for two further years in bottle to qualify for Reserva status. Lively red