Rioja Rivallana Blanco 2023 Bodegas Ondarre
A light and refreshing white Rioja made from a Viura blend delivering notes of exotic fruits, wild flowers and ripe pears through to a zesty finish.
The vineyards are situated on Rioja Valley’s northern hills on south-facing slopes, at an altitude of 550 metres above sea level. The vines, which have an average age of 25 years, are planted in uneven terrain due to several streams that run down the mountains that mark the northern border of Rioja. The soils are generally poor in nutrients and very shallow, just 30 to 35 centimetres in depth, which encourage the vines to send their roots deeper in search of nutrients and water. The soils vary from plot to plot, but there is a prevalence of clay based soils with high iron and chalk content. The clay content retains water, which nourishes the vines during the warm summers and the iron content is an essential nutrient for photosynthesis.
The grapes were carefully sorted upon arrival at the winery and the three varieties were fermented separately in stainless steel vats at controlled temperatures of between 14 and 16°C. The wines were matured on their lees for two months, with periodic racking to add complexity. Carefully blended showcasing wonderful freshness, aromatics and pure fruit flavours.
| RRP | £11.50 |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.5% |
| Grapes | Viura 75%, Verdejo 15%, Tempranillo Blanco 10% |
| Dry/Sweet value | 2 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Screwcap |
Bodegas Ondarre was founded in 1985, with the aim of creating wines which showcase the region’s distinct terroirs. The cooperative winery is situated in the town of Viana which overlooks the Rioja Valley in Rioja Oriental. Bodegas Ondarre has formed trusted relationships with the highest quality growers in the area, with whom they have been working since 1985. The Reservas are Bodegas Ondarre’s most acclaimed wines, which win top awards and critical approval every year. They attribute their success to hard work in the vineyards and their continual investment in the winery and barrel stock. They use both French and American oak casks to help them obtain the character in their wines. They also produce a few thousand cases of a single varietal Graciano - a real rarity due to the low yielding nature of this variety.
