El Coto Rioja Verdejo 2024
This wine is pale lemon in colour with golden highlights. It has intense aromas of fresh citrus and tropical fruit alongside fennel and aniseed notes. On the palate, it is smooth with a lively acidity and a refreshing, elegant finish.
The grapes for the Verdejo are sourced from El Coto's Finca Carbonera estate, which sits at 780 metres above sea level, making it the highest vineyard in Rioja and ideal for the new white grape varieties approved by the Rioja Regulatory Board. A wide diurnal range aids the slow steady ripening of the grapes, ensuring they retain fresh acidity and perfumed aromatics. The vineyard is sustainably farmed.
Shortly after harvest, the grapes were destemmed, cold-macerated and pressed softly in the cellar, avoiding contact with oxygen during all pre-fermentation operations. Fermentation took place at 16ºC in stainless-steel tanks in order to retain freshness. Once alcoholic fermentation had finished, the wine remained on its lees for one month to enhance the wine's texture.
| RRP | £13.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Alcoholic strength | 12% |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Grapes | Verdejo 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 3 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Screwcap |
| Winemaker | César Fernández |
El Coto was founded in 1970 in Rioja Alavesa and has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the best-known producers in Rioja. Now the largest vineyard owner in the region, El Coto has more than 730 hectares of vineyards across the three Rioja DOCa sub-zones of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, allowing them to represent the vast diversity found within the area. In 2023, El Coto was certified under the Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection organisation (SWfCP), in recognition of their improved sustainability practices, which include the installation of solar panels, reducing bottle weights and packaging improvements.
Head winemaker César Fernández oversees production at El Coto, starting with hand-picking into 350-kilogram crates to ensure the grapes arrive at the winery in pristine condition. Modern and intelligently designed, the emphasis in the winery is on temperature control and gentle handling of the grapes. The Blanco is fermented at 14–16°C to preserve aromas and to retain freshness. The Rosado, a scented blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha, is bursting with fresh strawberry aromas. All the red wines are fresh and juicy with nicely balanced oak. The Crianza, made solely from Tempranillo, is aged in American oak for 12 months followed by a further six months in bottle before release. The resulting wine is clean, vibrant and supple. The Organic Crianza is made from organically grown Tempranillo and vinified in a separate winery. It is aged in 225-litre American oak barrels for 12 months, and the materials used for the both the label and packaging have been designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
