Jesus Madrazo Number 4 Rioja (750ml)

Following a manual harvest, the bunches were separated and destemmed immediately upon arrival at the winery. The Tempranillo, Maturana and Merlot grapes come from selected plots, high in La Rioja Alta subzone, around the village of Cuzcurrita del Rio Tirón, and the Graciano and Garnacha come from old friends of my family in the Rioja Oriental subzone. Following a controlled fermentation for 7
days in small stainless-steel tanks at temperatures between 28o – 30oC, the wine was kept on the skins for a further 10 days of gentle maceration. The malolactic conversion then took place for approximately 15 days in a combination of 2 and 3 year-old oak barrels (70%) and stainless-steel, and the subsequent ageing was continued in these barrels (50% French and 50% American) for 15 months
before blending and first bottling in July 2023.

This year I introduced some Maturana back into the blend (like 2018) which added a balanced tannic character and a bright freshness. I am still using some of my friend, Barbara Palacios’s Merlot (although just 2% this year and I still cannot mention it on the label!), and the sweet tannin that it brings to the mix, balancing, together with the warmth of Garnacha, the rusticity of the Graciano. As a result, my 2020 vintage is clean and bright with an intense cherry colour. – Jesus Madrazo, winemaker