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WINES OF SPAIN
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Finca Valpiedra
| Feen-Ka Val-Pee-Eh-Drah |
DOCa Rioja (La Rioja), Spain
Finca Valpiedra, which means “stone valley,” opened in 1999 and is owned by La Familia Martínez-Bujanda.
It is a family-owned winery founded in 1889 by patriarch Joaquín Martínez-Bujanda and now run by the
founder’s great-grandchildren, the brother-sister team of Carlos and Pilar Martinez-Bujanda Irribarria.
The single-vineyard Finca Valpiedra is nestled in a unique oxbow meander of the Ebro River in the revered
sub-region of Rioja Alta. It is surrounded on three sides by water, which provides it with unusually mineral-
rich limestone, and pebble-filled soil. The stones in the soil not only give Finca Valpiedra its name, but
are responsible for trapping heat and enhancing grape ripening. The two hundred acres of vineyard are
1,200 feet above sea level and have an average vine age of thirty-five years. Each wine is specially crafted
and bottle aged for two years at the estate, ensuring that the wines are ready to enjoy once they reach
the consumer. As a unique single-estate Rioja producer with a rare geography, Finca Valpiedra is the only
Rioja member of the prestigious Grandes Pagos de España organization.
Cantos de Valpiedra
Cantos de Valpiedra (which translates as “rounded stones of Valpiedra”) is made entirely of Tempranillo
harvested in mid-September. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks with a five-day maceration
before aging for twelve months in French and American oak barriques followed by one year in-bottle,
giving this wine a Crianza designation. An intense cherry red with bluish rim, aromas of black fruit
and minerality blend with spice and vanilla from the oak. The palate is oily and rich with an immediate
sweetness, well-balanced acidity and alcohol, and a long, cool, mineral finish.
2012:
90 V |
2011:
89 V |
2010:
90 WS |
2009:
90 WS
Reserva
Finca Valpiedra Reserva is made up of 92 percent Tempranillo, 6 percent Graciano and 2 percent
Maturana Tinta. Grapes are harvested the first week of October and fermented in stainless steel tanks
before aging in French oak barriques for twenty-two months. Intense ruby in color, highlighted with
subtle red and black fruit, and notes of spice from the French oak. The palate is smooth, rich, and
balanced with a long finish.
2009:
95 D, 92 V, 89 WS |
2008:
93 D, 90 WA, 91 V |
2006:
90 WE, 92 W&S
Grandes Pagos de España:
The group’s mission is to defend and propagate the culture of “Pago”
wine, meaning wine produced in a specific
terroir
that reflects the distinct personality of the soil and
climate. To become a member, a vineyard must surpass strict quality standards and also exhibit a
degree of uniqueness in terms of soil, climate, or grape variety that sets it apart from the surrounding
area. The association’s membership includes twenty-five estate wineries from all over Spain.