Solagüen Reserva 2016 is a tangible demonstration of the high quality of wines from Labastida (Rioja Alavesa), where the Manuel Quintano Labastida winery boasts magnificent vineyards. An elegant and complex red wine, made from a selection of old tempranillo vineyards, combining tradition and modernity.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
French oak barrels (90%) and American (10%)
Type of bottle
Bordeaux Bottle
Barrel aging time
18 months
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Solagüen Reserva 2016 is crafted from a selection of tempranillo vineyards in the mid-zone of Labastida, over 40 years old. Cold pre-fermentation maceration for 4 days and spontaneous fermentation in concrete tanks. Subsequent aging for 18 months in French (90%) and American (10%) oak barrels, followed by bottle refinement.
Labastida, with a long-standing winemaking tradition, is located in the northwesternmost area of Rioja, in the highest region of Rioja Alavesa, resulting in fresh, aromatic wines with great aging potential. A small municipality nestled under the Sierra del Toloño and nourished by the Ebro River, it is one of the most favorable areas in Rioja for vine cultivation.
In the mid-60s, several Labastida vintners decided to join forces and founded the Unión de Cosecheros de Labastida, which today is the largest cooperative winery in the Basque Country and is known as Bodega Manuel Quintano Labastida. Over the years, this company has implemented numerous changes aimed at developing an artisanal production process and giving great prominence to the vineyard and the soil.
Thus, for winemaking, they use small tanks, with completely manual punch-downs and pump-overs, parcel by parcel... Fermentations are spontaneous, with the idea that each vineyard expresses the character of the soil. Subsequently, each parcel's wine ages separately in barrels. The Solagüen wines form the traditional range of the winery.
Due to its organoleptic characteristics, the red Solagüen Reserva 2016 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) pairs perfectly with game dishes such as wild boar stew.
Tasting notes
In the visual phase, it presents a beautiful ruby red with a garnet rim of medium-high layer.
On the nose, it unfolds a good intensity and a complex aromatic range, mixing red and black fruits (raspberry, blackberry, cherry) along with balsamic notes (licorice, eucalyptus). Later, it develops pleasant vanilla aromas and toasted touches; all in perfect harmony over a subtle milky background.
On the palate, it is tasty, creamy, with a magnificent structure and a noble, well-polished tannin. Persistent finish with pleasant spicy notes that it hinted at on the nose.
The winery
Labastida, with a long-standing winemaking tradition, is located in the northwesternmost area of Rioja, in the highest region of Rioja Alavesa, which results in fresh, aromatic wines with great aging potential. A small municipality sheltered by the Sierra del Toloño and nourished by the Ebro River, it is one of the most favorable areas in Rioja for vine cultivation.
In the mid-1960s, several winemakers from Labastida decided to join forces and founded the Unión de Cosecheros de Labastida, which today is the largest cooperative winery in the Basque Country and is known as Bodega Manuel Quintano. Over the years, this company has implemented numerous changes aimed at developing an artisanal production process and giving great prominence to the vineyard and the soil.
Thus, for winemaking, they use small tanks, with completely manual pump-overs and punch-downs, parcel by parcel... Fermentations are spontaneous, with the idea of allowing each vineyard to express the character of the soil. Subsequently, each parcel's wine ages separately in barrels, enabling visitors to taste several wines from different parcels with unique profiles. The winemaking process is personalized and based on grape tasting prior to harvest. No two productions are the same, and tasting is the main driver of decision-making in the winery throughout the year.
The winery has two wine ranges:
-Solagüen / Labastida Range. This is the traditional range. It includes young wines, a semi-sweet white, and wines with different types and lengths of aging in French and American oak barrels.
-Manuel Quintano Range. This represents the premium range and pays tribute to Manuel Quintano, who introduced modern enology to Rioja in 1786 after his trip to Bordeaux. The project comprises the 50 best hectares of the winery's vineyards, where old vines play a prominent role. These wines are made in small tanks with maximum parcel separation and age in concrete or French oak.