Sonsierra Reserva 2017
An elegant Tempranillo from Rioja
Gold Medal
Berliner Wein Trophy
Gold Medal
Concurso Internacional Mundus Vini
Sonsierra Reserva 2017 is the flagship wine of a firm that’s carved out a place for itself among the great Rioja wineries. A Reserva with a long list of prizes that expresses the personality of the Tempranillo grapes from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, probably the most iconic winegrowing area in Rioja. This is coupled with the fabulous work of Bodegas Sonsierra in tending to its old vineyard and selecting the grapes at the winery, and its expertise in barrel ageing.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
American (80%) and French (20%) oak Bordeaux barrels
Type of bottle
Bordeaux
Barrel aging time
18 months
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Bodegas Sonsierra has plenty of vines to choose from. With more than 500 hectares cultivated in the coveted San Vicente de la Sonsierra area, it boasts unique vineyards from which it produces great wines such as Sonsierra Reserva 2017. A Tempranillo single-varietal from old, gobelet-trained vines between 30 and 80 years old that grow on the foothills of the Cantabrian mountains and are harvested by hand.
The grapes underwent pre-fermentative maceration for 24 hours, followed by alcoholic fermentation with periodic pumping-over in stainless steel vats for 8 days at a controlled temperature of 24º C to preserve and extract all the fruity aromas. Post-fermentative maceration took place for 24–48 hours and malolactic fermentation was in concrete vats. The wine was finally aged for 18 months in Bordeaux barrels made of American (30%) and French (70%) oak, and was matured to perfection for at least 24 more months in the bottle.
Bodegas Sonsierra was founded in 1962 in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, when a group of grape growers decided to pool their vineyards to realise their dream of creating a great winery in Rioja Alta. This firm therefore started out as a cooperative and is still a joint concern today. It makes wines from grapes grown in its exceptional vineyards – 500 hectares of vines passed down from generation to generation and located in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, the most exclusive area of Rioja, where the Tempranillo variety attains a high quality.
Sonsierra Reserva 2017 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) is a perfect match for roast lamb or grilled T-bone steak.
Creators' opinion
Enticing shade of maroon with a ruby rim. Elegant nose of ripe black fruit and liquorice, perfectly balanced with the toasty, spicy and balsamic notes that come from barrel ageing and lend it significant complexity. Smooth tannins make for a rounded and velvety palate with subtle toasty notes that give it a pleasant finish.
The winery
Located in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Bodegas Sonsierra produces wines exclusively from its own vineyard, 100% within the same village. Bodegas Sonsierra boasts a long history of crafting high-end wines. The winery was established in 1962 through the initiative of a group of local winegrowers who decided to pool their vineyards to fulfill their dream: to create a great winery in Rioja Alta. Thus, it began as a farmers' cooperative and to this day retains its associative character. Sonsierra wines are origin, landscape, history, and tradition.
In February 2022, Bodegas Sonsierra was awarded the title of ‘Cooperative of the Year’ in the ‘Rioja 2022 Special Report’ by the renowned British critic Tim Atkin MW.