Bodegas Exopto presents El Espinal 2022, a red wine from Rioja Alavesa that stands out for its uniqueness due to the variety it is made from, maturana tinta, a practically unused native grape, and its conception as a tribute to Miguel Ángel Mato, a veteran and well-known winemaker from San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Maturana Tinta
Type of barrel
Used French oak barrels
Type of bottle
Burgundy Bottle
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
El Espinal 2022 is one of the wines included in the collection that Bodegas Exopto has designed to pay tribute to Miguel Ángel Mato, a renowned farmer and winemaker from San Vicente de la Sonsierra. The freshness, which gives it a distinctive Atlantic character, is the main feature of this Rioja red wine.
The owner of the winery, the Bordeaux native Tom Puyaubert, a connoisseur of Rioja vineyards and soils, chose for the creation of this red wine a low-yield grape variety undergoing recovery, the maturana tinta. Specifically, he selected the best fruits from 30-year-old vines planted in El Espinal, a single plot of clay-limestone soils located at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level, on the slopes of the Sierra de Cantabria. Following a meticulous and traditional winemaking process, which included 15 months of aging in used French oak barrels, fewer than 2,000 bottles of El Espinal de Exopto 2022 were produced.
What to pair with El Espinal de Exopto? Its round and silky palate makes this Rioja the perfect choice to pair with Iberian ham, cecina, Galician-style octopus, stews with spicy sauces, and grilled meats.
Tasting notes
It displays a bright violet color.
On the nose, it stands out for its aromas of black fruit (blackberry, blueberry), white pepper, and licorice.
The palate is luscious and very rounded, with a strong presence of the fruit detected in the aromatic phase. Elegant, silky, and with a very fresh finish.
The winery
Winery
At the beginning of the year 2000, the Bordelais Tom Puyaubert settled in La Rioja to develop his activity as a representative of a famous French cooperage. Daily contact with the best Spanish winemakers and his knowledge of the Rioja wine culture and its enviable vineyards encouraged him, in 2003, to embark on his own project. Bodegas Exopto takes its name from the Latin verb meaning "to strongly desire, to hope with great enthusiasm." It is precisely this passionate spirit that guides his steps and the creation of an interesting range of white and red wines that aim to be a faithful expression of La Rioja and its terroir.
Puyaubert's winery is based in Laguardia, the capital of Rioja Alavesa, and its facilities give birth to wines full of color, fruit, and freshness, with a fine and subtle presence of the noblest woods. All of Bodegas Exopto's creations originate from three of the great varieties that make up the classic Rioja blend: tempranillo, garnacha, and graciano. These come from 15 micro-plots of vineyards, aged between 30 and 90 years, covering a total surface area of 10 hectares, and are distributed between the village of Abalos (Rioja Alta) and the slopes of Monte Yerga in the southern part of the region.
In the winery, the aging of Exopto wines stands out for the exclusive use of French oak barrels of different grain types and toasting levels to achieve greater oxygenation, preserve the fruit, or contribute complexity, minerality, structure, or balance.
Puyaubert's winery is based in Laguardia, the capital of Rioja Alavesa, and its facilities give birth to wines full of color, fruit, and freshness, with a fine and subtle presence of the noblest woods. All of Bodegas Exopto's creations originate from three of the great varieties that make up the classic Rioja blend: tempranillo, garnacha, and graciano. These come from 15 micro-plots of vineyards, aged between 30 and 90 years, covering a total surface area of 10 hectares, and are distributed between the village of Abalos (Rioja Alta) and the slopes of Monte Yerga in the southern part of the region.
In the winery, the aging of Exopto wines stands out for the exclusive use of French oak barrels of different grain types and toasting levels to achieve greater oxygenation, preserve the fruit, or contribute complexity, minerality, structure, or balance.