Spain’s handful of century-old wineries are an indispensable part of the world's wine heritage. Take, for instance, Bodegas Riojanas (1890), one of the firms that have written the history of the Rioja and still one of the most famous wineries in the region. For the past few years it’s also been operating in the D.O. Ribera del Duero, where it produced Alacer Roble 2022. A red wine grown on high-altitude vineyards – 904 metres – with old bush-trained vines that preserve the freshness of the grapes and ensure high quality wines. It’s been aged for 4 months in French oak, with a nose dominated by fruity aromas and a smooth, silky palate with a finish marked by notes of candied red fruit and hints of vanilla and toffee.Undoubtedly one of the best Ribera del Duero wines in this category, with a 90-point score from Wine Enthusiast.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
French oak barrels
Type of bottle
Bordeaux
Barrel aging time
4 months
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Alacer Roble 2022 is a single-varietal Tempranillo that comes from a high-altitude plot that defies all limits. The vineyard, called Las Hontanillas, is located in Santa Cruz de Salceda (Burgos) at an altitude of 904 metres above sea level, with gobelet-trained vines over 40 years old planted in calcareous clay soils. The extreme climate, with long winters and high temperatures in summer with the risk of overexposure to sunshine, favours slow ripening, maintaining an optimum level of acidity and, consequently, high quality grapes. Another benefit of the altitude is that it mitigates the effects of climate change, preserving the grapes’ freshness.
The grapes were harvested by hand in crates. On entering the winery, they passed through a sorting table before being transferred to vats by means of a gravity-flow system using 1000 kg OVI containers, dispensing with pumps or pipes that could damage the berries. Fermentation and maceration of the grapes were carried out in wide 15,000-litre tanks to increase contact and optimise the extraction of aromas and pigments. The wine finally spent 4 months in French oak barrels.
Bodegas Riojanas is one of Rioja's great century-old wineries, founded in 1890 in Cenicero by two families with a long history of winemaking: the Frías and Artacho families. Today Bodegas Riojanas is still run by the descendants of the founding families, headed by Santiago Frías. The five generations that have managed this superb winery have consolidated and perpetuated its prestige, based on two historic brands: Viña Albina and Monte Real.
Over time, Bodegas Riojanas has diversified its activity, launching new wineries in other D.Os: Toro (Bodegas Torreduero), Bierzo, Rueda and Ribera del Duero (Bodegas Viore), Rías Baixas (Veiga Naum), Cava (Cum Laude), and Monterrei (Bodegas Gargalo). It also markets the Alacer brand. Bodegas Riojanas is one of the few Spanish wineries listed on the stock exchange.
Alacer Roble 2022 (D.O. Ribera del Duero) is ideal with roast lamb and cured cheeses.
Creators' opinion
Powerful cherry-red colour. In the nose, the fruity character of blackberries and blueberries predominates over the liquorice notes and spicy hints from the barrel. Its short ageing period in oak barrels gives it structure and balance on the palate without losing its youth and varietal character. Its delicate acidity combined with soft, round tannins makes for an excellent, lingering finish with hints of candied red fruit enveloped in vanilla and toffee notes.
The winery
Bodegas Riojanas is one of the great centenary wineries of Rioja, founded in 1890 in Cenicero by two families with a winemaking tradition: the Frías and the Artacho families. Today, Bodegas Riojanas continues to be led by the descendants of the founding families, with Santiago Frías at the helm. The five generations that have steered this illustrious winery have consolidated and perpetuated its prestige, based on two historic brands: Viña Albina, a label born at the dawn of the 20th century; and Monte Real, created in the 1930s with grapes from a vineyard in Cenicero by the French winemaker Gabriel Larrendat.
Bodegas Riojanas was one of the wineries that participated in the creation of the Rioja Denomination of Origin in 1925, and from the 1930s onwards, it forged its reputation as a master in the art of aging wines. It has more than 600 hectares of vineyards—both owned and controlled—in the heart of Rioja Alta, between the areas of Cenicero and San Vicente de la Sonsierra, divided into more than 1,600 plots of clay-limestone soils. The tempranillo grape is the main protagonist, although there is also a significant extension of mazuelo and graciano, varieties that are ideal for complementing blends.
Over time, Bodegas Riojanas has diversified its activities, launching new projects in other denominations of origin: Toro (Bodegas Torreduero), Bierzo, Rueda and Ribera del Duero (Bodegas Viore), Rías Baixas (Veiga Naum), Cava (Cum Laude), and Monterrei (Bodegas Gargalo). It also markets the Alacer brand. Bodegas Riojanas is one of the few Spanish wineries listed on the stock exchange.