Bodegas Senorio De Arana Vina Del Oja Rioja Reserva is a wine of bright cherry hue with complex aromas of berry fruit and vanilla oak. It is mouth-filling and expressive on the palate, well structured but with soft, ripe tannins, balsam and mineral notes that all culminates in a long and generous finish.
- Country: Spain
- Region: Rioja
- Vintage: 2016
- Colour: Red
- Grape Variety: Tempranillo, Graciano, Carignan/Mazuelo
- ABV: 14%
- Bottle Size: 75cl
- Closure: Natural Cork
- Style: Structured and gently oaky
- Drink With: Lancashire hot pot
2014 was an excellent vintage in the Rioja Alavesa and the fruit came into the winery in perfect condition. The Viña Del Oja Rioja Reserva is a blend of 90% Tempranillo with 5% each of Graciano and Mazuelo to add further depth and structure. A classic example of a traditional style of Rioja Reserva, Bodegas Señorío De Arana aged this wine in French and American oak for 18 months before allowing it to spend several years in the bottle to develop.
Wines From Spain Awards 2016: Best Rioja (Joint Winner)
About the grower
Although the Santiago family, owners of Señorío de Arana and Viña del Oja, have been growing grapes in the Rioja region for over one hundred years, the bodega was only founded in the 1970s. Señorío De Arana owns around 100 hectares of vines in the villages of Labastida and San Vicente de la Sonsierra; the former is in the Rioja Alavesa and the latter is just across the River Ebro in the Rioja Alta. The Santiago family utilises all of its knowledge of its vineyards lying in the lee of the Cantabria Sierra, and benefits from its long experience of growing Tempranillo which thrives in Rioja's chalky, silty soils.
Situated under the slopes of Monte Toloño on the banks of the River Ebro, the Viña Del Oja winery sees state-of-the-art technology in the bodega combined with a deep understanding of traditional winemaking, guaranteeing the quality of their wines.
The grapes from each plot of vineyards are harvested individually, and each parcel is carefully monitored and controlled throughout vinification so that grapes sourced from different soils and from vines of different ages are kept separate until the final blend is assembled. Initial fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks so that temperatures can be carefully controlled and the wines are then aged in a combination of French and American oak for up to 30 months depending upon their designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva.