Bodega Loli Casado - 'Polus', Graciano, Rioja Alavesa, Spain (2019)

TASTING NOTES

Classic leathery Rioja. The 18-month wood ageing really accentuates the aromas of baking spices and black fruits with a refined caramel touch. Smooth tannins on the palate are followed by plums, black cherries and a great freshness. 

Coming from 45 year old vines situated at an elevation of 500m - the grapes are small grained, with thick skins, small clusters and therefore high skin to juice ratio - providing structure with deep colour and flavour.

After macerating for 18 days in steel tanks, this wine completes malolactic, and then aged in French oak for 18 months. 

When Loli’s grandfather started the winery over a century ago, the land was also used to cultivate cereal grains alongside vines and olive groves. During the 1970’s her father, Luis, replaced some of the grains with more vines and incorporated the new growth into the existing vineyards, and expanded the wine production. Honing his craft throughout the 1980’s, Luis produced some crianza wines, a feat that elevated the small artisan winery. In the 2000’s Loli and her husband Jésus took over the reins. Loli, who grew up in the midst of all aspects of the winery, hung up her nurse's hat and worked on keeping the winery in touch with new emerging trends and the demands of the modern wine industry. The duo never sacrificed the respect for the vineyards, manual harvesting and care for the environment.

Located in Rioja Alavesa, the bodega’s vineyards are at high elevation (450-520m), generally protected from the cold north winds by the Sierra de Cantabria and are on fairly steep slopes with southern orientation. The slopes provide optimal sunlight exposure and drainage to avoid waterlogging.

The soils are varied - mostly chalky-calcareous limestone, some ferrous all with varying degrees of clay, sand and rocky compositions. As a result, the vineyards are grouped into 5 plots subdivided into 52 subplots.