Rigorous selection of only the best fruit from high altitude vineyards, and from Bodegas Ontañón's new winery in the centre of Quel, has produced one of the new Rioja classifications: a 'Vino de Pueblo', which can only be produced from family-owned vineyards within a named village.
Production
Predominantly Tempranillo sourced from several selected vineyard parcels in and around Quel, including: El Poeta, La Bartola and Hoyo Judio. All are at altitudes above 600m - low yielding vines which receive no artificial irrigation. Many are plots of old bush vines. After three different stages of selection - in the vineyard, at the winery, and a final selection of the berries after de-stemming - there is a period of pre-fermentation maceration for 5 days, followed by a further 18 day maceration at 22-26ºC. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French oak barrels. Vinification takes place at a new, gravity-fed winery in the centre of Quel with the most up-to-date technology. The finished wine spends 18 months in new oak barrels (80% French and 20% American) with varying levels of toast. After a further 6 months in large (18,000L) French oak foudres, the wine is stored in the winery's calado (underground cellar) before release.
Queirón Mi Lugar Vino de Quel, Rioja 2019 (6 bottles case)
Vivino ratings
Tasting notes
Pronounced aromas of ripe black fruit and blueberries, backed by spice, mocha, fig and balsamic notes. The palate is generous with complex bramble and plum fruit characters, well-integrated oak and bright acidity. Structured yet elegant.
Food match
Classic steak or roast lamb
Info
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ABV
14.5%
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CASE/BOTTLE SIZE
6 x 75cl
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REGION/COUNTRY
RIOJA, SPAIN
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GRAPE
TEMPRANILLO 90%, GARNACHA 10%
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CLOSURE
CORK
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WINEMAKER
RUBEN PÉREZ CUEVAS
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APPELLATION
DOCA RIOJA (RIOJA ORIENTAL / VINO DE QUEL)
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ALLERGEN INFO
CONTAINS SULPHITES AND NO OTHER ALLERGENS
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Meet the producer
The town of Quel sits in the Cidacos river valley, between the Sierra Yerga and Sierra la Hez mountain ranges, at the heart of Rioja Oriental. Here in the Barrio de Bodegas wineries have existed since the 18th century, with ancient winemaking caves at the base of the sheer sandstone cliffs, where grapes were gravity-fed from the vineyards above.
This has been the home of the Pérez Cuevas family (who established and own Bodegas Ontañón) for generations, and the new Queirón winery is the fulfilment of Gabriel’s dream. It has been built around an existing cave, and the 4-level design replicates (in a very modern way) the traditional gravity-flow system that allows a gentle approach to the handling of the grapes at each step. They have more than thirty separate vineyard parcels located in and around Quel. These range from the ancient Garnacha vineyard of ‘El Arca’ (planted in 1892) to the Tempranillo vineyard ‘La Pasada’ - planted at some of the highest elevation vineyards in the entire Rioja DOCa.
Established at the start of the new Rioja classification system allowing wines to be labelled according to their origin, their portfolio highlights the winery's heritage, and family’s long relationship, with the town of Quel.
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