La Cantera Reserva 2021
Wine Details
- Red - Medium to Full Bodied
Spain- Cariñena DOP
- Tempranillo-based blend
- 13% ABV
- 750 ml
- Packaging Pioneer
Flavor Profile
In Cariñena, Spain—“home to some of the best-value reds in Spain, if not the world,” according to Decanter—winemaker Javier Domeque knows how to make the most of heritage fruit. As the technical director of the Bodegas San Valero, he oversees production from just under 10,000 acres of vines, many of which are low-yielding heirlooms that create intensely flavored wine. The oak-aged La Cantera Reserva is an excellent example of his work, with layers of luscious fruit that’ll have you reaching for a second pour.
Founded in 1944 by 60 area growers, Bodegas San Valero is now Cariñena’s leading wine cooperative, with around 500 partner growers and a dedicated team of agronomists (i.e. soil scientists) caring for decades-old plants. It’s also a leader in sustainability, with more than 800 of its acres farmed organically—the highest concentration of organic vineyards in the region.
To make this bottling, Javier chose to work with his favorite plot of Tempranillo, with vines that are more than 65 years old. Its grape clusters are much smaller and tighter than typical Tempranillo clusters, creating a high skin-to-juice ratio that leads to robust, full-bodied results. To add some structure, he blended in a bit of Cab Sauvignon, then aged the wine 12 months in oak to mellow everything out.
The wine was aged a few more years in bottle before Javier felt it was ready to drink, and today, it’s perfectly mature and in perfect balance, with expressive raspberry and black fruit flavors knit with subtle toasty vanilla tones.
We recommend serving it alongside hearty, slow-cooked dishes. But more importantly, we recommend ordering soon: quantities are limited.
In Cariñena, Spain—“home to some of the best-value reds in Spain, if not the world,” according to Decanter—winemaker Javier Domeque knows how to make the most of heritage fruit. As the technical director of the Bodegas San Valero, he oversees production from just under 10,000 acres of vines, many of which are low-yielding heirlooms that create intensely flavored wine. The oak-aged La Cantera Reserva is an excellent example of his work, with layers of luscious fruit that’ll have you reaching for a second pour.
Founded in 1944 by 60 area growers, Bodegas San Valero is now Cariñena’s leading wine cooperative, with around 500 partner growers and a dedicated team of agronomists (i.e. soil scientists) caring for decades-old plants. It’s also a leader in sustainability, with more than 800 of its acres farmed organically—the highest concentration of organic vineyards in the region.
To make this bottling, Javier chose to work with his favorite plot of Tempranillo, with vines that are more than 65 years old. Its grape clusters are much smaller and tighter than typical Tempranillo clusters, creating a high skin-to-juice ratio that leads to robust, full-bodied results. To add some structure, he blended in a bit of Cab Sauvignon, then aged the wine 12 months in oak to mellow everything out.
The wine was aged a few more years in bottle before Javier felt it was ready to drink, and today, it’s perfectly mature and in perfect balance, with expressive raspberry and black fruit flavors knit with subtle toasty vanilla tones.
We recommend serving it alongside hearty, slow-cooked dishes. But more importantly, we recommend ordering soon: quantities are limited.
Decanter
on the Cariñena region
