Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2016
A Gran Reserva for all budgets
From Viñedos Hermanos Hernáiz, we present to you an exclusive red wine, made with the tempranillo variety and designed hand in hand by the oenological team of the Rioja winery together with the Vinoselección technicians: Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2016.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
American oak barrels
Type of bottle
Bordeaux Bottle
Barrel aging time
24 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Bottling
03/2021
Total acidity (g/l)
5.5
Volatile acidity (g/l)
0.59
Sugar
1.8
pH
3.68
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14
General Information
Viñedos Hermanos Hernáiz represents one of the most innovative and trending projects within our most internationally renowned denomination of origin, a winemaking house whose wines have earned a strong reputation in the global market. Rapidly, it has positioned itself as an essential Rioja winery, thanks to the work of the Hernáiz brothers on a family-owned estate located in Baños de Rioja. It is on this unique plot, Finca La Emperatriz, spanning just over a hundred hectares, where the project we now present to you is based.
An estate located between the La Demanda and Cantabria mountain ranges, planted at 570 m above sea level, which has been meticulously divided into parcels to give greater character to each of the grape varieties cultivated by the Hernáiz brothers. And it is here, with its magnificent and perfectly defined viticultural heritage, where the Gran Reserva we now propose is born.
Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2016 is crafted from a selection of tempranillos with different yet complementary styles, enhanced by the finest American oak barrels available at the winery, where it has aged for two years before its long refinement in the bottle. A wine to be enjoyed for many years to come.
Tasting notes
It boasts a cherry red color with garnet hues, appearing bright and visually appealing.
On the nose, it reveals complexity and finesse, highlighting ripe red fruit aromas alongside spicy, floral notes and hints of fine woods and red licorice.
On the palate, it shows excellent balance, being broad and flavorful. It offers a sweet, enveloping, fresh, and silky passage, as well as a long and persistent finish.
Creators' opinion
Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2016 es un vino fruto del trabajo del equipo de Finca La Emperatriz y los catadores de Vinoselección, José Luis Casado y Jaime Bermúdez. El proyecto empezó con un Reserva 2013, que se ha ido repitiendo añada tras añada; y tras visto el éxito que tenía, se decidió ofertar un vino con más complejidad, como son los Grandes Reservas. La idea inicial ha sido mantener el carácter la zona donde estamos, pero buscar entre todas las parcelas de la finca aquellas que fuesen más fáciles de disfrutar desde el momento de la comercialización del vino. Los vinos de Finca la Emperatriz son vinos con una acidez importante y con un tanino rústico durante los primeros años que necesitan unos años de envejecimiento en bodega para estar perfectamente pulidos. Este Cuvée Especial destaca, sobre todo, por su suavidad en el paso de boca sin perder el carácter de nuestra zona. Este vino me ha servido personalmente para valorar más el gusto del consumidor, porque es algo que Vinoselección y su equipo siempre tienen presente, permitiéndonos hacer vinos más bebibles con los que se pueda disfrutar sin ser un experto.
The winery
Winery
Oenologist
Winemaker
The Hernáiz family already owned vineyards in Cenicero, but their name in Spanish wine began to gain recognition in 1996 when they acquired Finca La Emperatriz, a historic estate located in Baños de Rioja (Rioja Alta). The name of the estate refers to its former owner: Eugenia de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III and Empress of France. In her time, wines made from these vineyards already enjoyed a good reputation, as evidenced by the award won in 1878 at the Universal Exposition in Paris.
Curiously and fortunately, Finca La Emperatriz has remained unchanged over time, as a single piece of land extending over 101 hectares, an exceptional feature in Rioja. Of these, 82 hectares are planted with vineyards, perfectly divided into plots, with a significant percentage of old bush vines reaching 70 years of age.
Additionally, it stands out for hosting 32 hectares of vineyards classified as ‘Viñedo Singular’, the largest area with this designation owned by a single winery (in the entire denomination, there are only 265 hectares distinguished as Viñedo Singular). It has also been a pioneering winery in producing a wine with this classification. It is worth noting that the ‘Viñedo Singular’ designation recognizes the highest quality sites that are home to old vines.
Finca La Emperatriz is located in the Oja Valley, in the northwesternmost part of Rioja, the coldest area of the region, at an altitude of nearly 600 meters between the famous La Demanda and Cantabria mountain ranges. The Ebro River is about 100 km away, and the area experiences less Mediterranean influence and more Atlantic and continental influence, allowing the tempranillo grape to express a more elegant and fresh profile. On the other hand, the protective barrier effect of the Sierra de Cantabria provides very favorable climatic conditions.