Altanza is a chateau-style winery located in the heart of Rioja Alta, in Fuenmayor, that focuses on producing elegant and nicely rounded wines. It’s now offering you Altanza Crianza 2020, a red made wholly from Tempranillo grapes from an Excellent-rated year in the D.O.Ca. Rioja. Fresh, smooth and pleasant to drink.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
French oak barrels (15% new, the rest second- and third-use to preserve the fruity flavours), followed by 2 months in 22-hl French Allier oak casks
Barrel aging time
12 months
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Altanza Crianza 2020, made wholly from Tempranillo grapes, is a vegan wine that’s been aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 15% new and the rest second- and third-use, to preserve its fruity flavours. It was then matured for 2 months in 22-hl French Allier oak casks.
Located in Fuenmayor (Rioja Alta), Altanza started out in 1998 when it built winemaking facilities and planted its own vineyards. Ever since starting out it’s focused on producing red wines aged in French oak. Its Valvarés estate supplies 70% of the grapes it needs. This 300-hectare estate has various plots with different types of soil, orientations and slopes. It therefore provides a broad range of grapes that produce wines with a distinctive personality.
Of the 300 hectares, 170 are planted with Tempranillo and 12 with Sauvignon Blanc. It’s always chosen barrels made of French oak (given its more complex aromas) as well as 22,000-litre vats crafted from French Allier oak to ensure an additional slow, even ageing. The facilities were built in the style of French chateaux, surrounded by gardens and vineyards.
Altanza Crianza 2020 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) is perfect with hearty dishes such as lamb and potato stew.
Creators' opinion
Deep cherry red, medium pigmentation, clear and bright. Predominant aromas of red fruit like raspberry and cherry, subtle notes of liquorice and very nicely integrated balsamic and subtle toasty notes from the wood. Smooth, well-structured tannins. The aromas of red fruits reappear on the palate. Pleasant to drink with a long finish.
The winery
Winery
Located in Fuenmayor (Rioja Alta), Altanza began its journey in 1998 with the construction of the winery facilities and the planting of its own vineyards. From the very beginning, it focused on producing red wines aged in French oak. Its Valvarés estate supplies 70% of the grapes needed for the production of its wines. This estate consists of 300 hectares of land divided into different plots with various soil types, orientations, and slopes, which provide a great diversity of grapes that allow them to craft wines with a distinctive personality.
Of the 300 hectares, 170 are planted with tempranillo, and 12 hectares are dedicated to sauvignon blanc grapes (in addition, it includes 60 hectares of olive groves with the arbequina variety). Altanza also sources grapes from local growers with whom it has been collaborating for more than 20 years. From the outset, the winery opted for French oak barrels (due to their greater aromatic complexity) and 22,000-liter French oak vats from Allier, which provide a slow and harmonized additional aging process.
The facilities were built in the style of French “châteaux,” surrounded by gardens and vineyards. Underground, it houses a historical collection of 17,000 bottles and 183 new French oak barrels exclusively dedicated to the production of Altanza Club, following traditional methods.
David Saez de Ojer Tobalina is the current general director of the winery.