Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2018
A Rioja that’s a real gem with its history, climate and soil
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Hermanos Hernáiz is one of the few Rioja wineries that can boast of owning 101 hectares in a single vineyard. Everyone’s talking about the marvellous work it does and it’s become one of our most trusted firms. Based on a historical estate in Baños de Rioja, in the coldest part of Rioja, it makes wines that are designed to last and reflect the terroir. Take, for instance, Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2018, an excellent Gran Reserva that’s now available again, and you’ll only find here, following the success of the 2016 vintage. A real luxury.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
2% Graciano, 3% Garnacha tinta, 95% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
American oak barrels
Type of bottle
Bordeaux
Barrel aging time
30 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Bottling
07/2022
pH
3.72
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14
General Information
Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2018 is made jointly by the winery and Vinoselección. It’s a wine that showcases the good work and evolution of the Hernáiz family. The grapes come from Finca La Emperatriz, in Baños de Rioja, an estate with the largest expanse of Singular Vineyards owned by a winery (a classification given to those of highest quality). From here we selected a blend of different batches with the three traditional varieties: Tempranillo (95%) Garnacha (3%) and Graciano (2%).
It’s been aged for 30 months in American oak barrels, during which it gained structure, body and fullness. The end result is an exquisite red full of complexity and finesse with great balance and packed with sensations.
The Hernáiz family already owned vines in Cenicero but began to make a name for themselves in Spanish wine in 1996 when they acquired Finca La Emperatriz, a historical estate located in Baños de Rioja (Rioja Alta). The estate is named after its former owner: Eugenia de Montijo, the Spanish wife of Napoleon III and empress of France. Wines that enjoyed a reputation were already grown on these vineyards in her day, as shown by a prize won in 1878 at the Paris Universal Exhibition.
Interestingly – and fortunately – Finca La Emperatriz has remained unchanged over the years as a single piece of land spanning 101 hectares, an exception in Rioja. Of this area, 82 hectares are planted with vines, perfectly divided into plots. The 32 hectares of gobelet-trained vines are between 60 and 70 years old. Their grapes go into making the top brand Finca La Emperatriz and the second brand El Jardín de La Emperatriz.
Viñedos Hermanos Hernáiz is located in the valley of Oja, in the northwesternmost and coldest part of Rioja, at an altitude of nearly 600 metres, among the famous La Demanda and Cantabrian mountains. The river Ebro is some 100 kilometres away and the area receives less Mediterranean influence and greater Atlantic and continental influence, which brings out the elegant, fresh side of Tempranillo. The protection provided by the Cantabrian mountains makes for highly beneficial climate conditions. Finca La Emperatriz Cuvée Especial Gran Reserva 2018 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) is a wine that you can enjoy for many years to come.
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.