Heraclio Alfaro Finca Estarijo 2016: Un Rioja con espiritu pionero

Alma gallega, espíritu pionero y nombre de aviador; esos son los pilares del proyecto radicado en la Finca Estarijo, en el lugar donde se encuentra Heraclio Alfaro, la bodega riojana del grupo Terras Gauda que homenajea a uno de los pioneros de la aviación y que nos recuerda que el edificio que hoy es la bodega fue en otro tiempo un hangar de aviones; ni más ni menos.
Fiel a ese espíritu intrépido, Heraclio Alfaro Finca Estarijo 2016 es un coupage que tiene el Graciano como variedad principal, acompañado de Garnacha, Tempranillo y Mazuelo. Las uvas fermentan en foudres de 300 litros, y el vino tiene una crianza de 16 meses en barricas de roble francés y de al menos tres años en botella antes de salir al mercado.
De un bonito color rojo picota, su nariz es exuberante; allí manda la fruta roja madura acompañada de notas de campo y especiadas, con la madera en segundo plano. En boca es fresco, frutal, con buena acidez y un tanino sedoso. Es un vino apto para todos los públicos que acompañará cualquier comida sin tomar el protagonismo, pero haciéndote disfrutar de cada trago; una prueba más de que se puede ser fiel a Rioja sin caer en el tópico, con espíritu inquieto, nombre de aviador y alma gallega.

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Is 22 years a long time? Well, like everything, it depends on the context. For the 8,000 years of history of wine, 22 years doesn’t seem like a big deal, but for the history of a single wine, 22 years is a long life.
Although 1999 was not an excellent vintage in La Rioja, in Viña Cubillo 160,000 kilos of high quality grapes were harvested with which in López de Heredia they made this Viña Cubillo 1999, the leading crianza in our tasting today.
It’s a blend with 65% Tempranillo and 25% Grenache, while the remaining 10% is Mazuelo and Graciano. After a conventional vinification, our wine was aged for two years in American oak barrels, followed by a long (in our case, very long) aging in the bottle.
When we look at the glass, we find a light wine, with a tile color that indicates its age. On the nose, the tertiary aromas (mushrooms and wet leaves) stand out, but there is also fruit. On the palate it’s elegant, structured but at the same time light, with very soft tannins and an acidity that shows that it still has life ahead. It’s also a surprisingly balanced wine, so balanced that it seems that its winemaker had made it thinking that we were going to uncork it at this very moment; a wine that with every sip tells you about its history, its 22 years of history.Galician soul, pioneering spirit and aviator’s name; These are the pillars of the project based on Finca Estarijo, in the place where Heraclio Alfaro is located, the Rioja winery of the Terras Gauda group that pays homage to one of the pioneers of aviation and reminds us that the building that today is the winery it was once an aircraft hangar; no more no less.
True to that intrepid spirit, Heraclio Alfaro Finca Estarijo 2016 is a Graciano based blend, accompanied by Grenache, Tempranillo and Mazuelo. The grapes ferment in 300-liter foudres, and the wine is aged for 16 months in French oak barrels and for at least three years in the bottle before hitting the market.
Of a beautiful cherry red color, its nose is exuberant; there the ripe red fruit rules accompanied by scrubland and spicy notes, with the wood in the background. On the palate it’s fresh, fruity, with good acidity and silky tannins. It’s a wine suitable for all audiences that will accompany any meal without taking center stage, but making you enjoy each sip; one more proof that you can be faithful to Rioja without falling into the cliché, with a restless spirit, with the name of an aviator and a Galician soul.