Viñedos Hermanos Hernáiz, a benchmark for Rioja thanks to the quality of its vineyards and a leader in “Viñedos Singulares”, proudly presents this Finca La Selva Gran Reserva 2015. A finca Tempranillo in a classic style, recognised with the Gold Medal at Mundus Vini 2022.
Finca La Selva Gran Reserva 2015 is sourced from Tempranillo vines from a single estate called "La Selva", located on a hillside at an altitude of 500-600 metres, in the village of Hornos de Moncalvillo (Rioja Alta). These are old vines planted on the north-facing slope, where they benefit from greater coolness perfect for the final quality of Tempranillo. The grapes were hand-harvested and fermentation occurred at controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks. It has an ageing of 2 years in oak barrels that are 90% American and 10% French, and a further 36 months in bottle prior to release.
Viñedos Hermanos Hernáiz is a winery founded in 1996 by the Hernáiz family in a privileged location: Finca La Emperatriz, in Baños de Rioja (Rioja Alta). It is a 101-hectare estate that was owned by Eugenia de Montijo, Empress of France.
The Hernáiz brothers have restructured the estate, recuperating old vines and planting new ones. The key to their outstanding positioning is the quality of their vines; in fact it is the leading winery in the new distinction “Viñedos Singulares”, the highest-quality category in the D.O.Ca. Rioja.
Pairing
Finca La Selva Gran Reserva 2015 is ideal for pairing with a pork roast, pulses-based dishes and cured meats such as Iberian ham.
Serving temperature
Consumption time
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
Oak barrels.
Type of bottle
Bordeaux Bottle
Barrel aging time
24 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Total acidity (g/l)
5.5
Volatile acidity (g/l)
0.54
Sugar
1.9
pH
3.61
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14
Age
Made from old Tempranillo vines.
Mouth
Its long ageing has made it a wine rich and complex. More time in oak barrels does not mean more oak flavour, but a more integrated flavour where the wood and fruit blend, giving aromas reminiscent of hazelnuts, almonds, dried fruits and a silky palate.
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.
