Finca La Emperatriz Rioja Viñedo Singular

Finca La Emperatriz -The Empress’s Estate- is an historic vineyard in Baños de Rioja that once belonged to the last Empress of France, Eugenia de Montijo.

12 km from Haro, nestled between the Sierra de Cantabria and Sierra de la Demanda mountain ranges, Finca La Emperatriz is located in the north western end of the Rioja DOC, at 570 m above sea level in one of the highest plateaux in the Rioja Alta.

In 1996, the Hernáiz family purchased that same estate, and brothers Eduardo and Victor Hernáiz took charge of a project aimed at producing quality wines.

Part of the vineyard, the older vines, is officially classified in Rioja as a “Viñedo Singular”, a new system in Rioja since 2017, which is the equivalent to the Cru system in France to identify and protect outstanding pieces of vineyard. Of just 200 Ha in the whole of Rioja, Finca la Emperatriz accounts for 35 Ha., all in one piece.

The soil of Finca La Emperatriz is unique in La Rioja. A poor, extremely hard soil, which provides the wines with a distinctive elegance and minerality and great ageing potential

Harvest: Hand-harvested into 180 kg crates, the 25th September.

Varietals: 76% Tempranillo, 22% Garnacha and 2% Viura.

Wine-making: Grape selection at the sorting table. 100% destemmed and 40% crushed. Grapes ferment in concrete tanks.
Tempranillo, Garnacha and Viura are harvested at once and vatted in the same tank, followed by a 5 days cold maceration.
The wine fermented with indigenous yeasts and daily smooth pump-overs. After 20 days of post-fermentative maceration, it is devatted directly to barrel for MLF.

Ageing: 14 months in barrels, 60% new French oak and 40% second-year American oak barrels.

On the nose, it is profound, exuding scents of blackberries, plums, black pepper, cedar, and an array of spices. The palate experiences a broad and succulent texture, exuding sophistication, with silky, refined tannins and a remarkably delicate finesse. It concludes with an extensive and dry finish.