Clear primary fruit with notes of cool mineral character, fresh blue fruits and invigorating herbal accents.
Palate
Juicy and grippy with fine-grained tannins, multi-layered herbal spice and remarkable momentum, with the alcohol seamlessly integrated.
Character
Distinctive, full of tension and, despite the warm vintage, characterized by outstanding balance and freshness.
Pairing
Jamón Ibérico, Jamón Serrano or aged hard cheese.
Notes
Single-vineyard wine from a field blend planted in 1952 consisting of 40% Tempranillo as well as Viura and Malvasia (30% each), harvested and fermented together with the stems in the vineyard.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
An intense, radiant purple-red in the glass.
Nose
The nose reveals a cool, distinct sense of place, underpinned by aromas of fresh blue fruit. A focused bouquet full of clarity, enriched by stimulating herbal notes and a captivating primary-fruit complexity.
Palate
On the palate, the wine presents itself expressively and energetically. Despite a proud 15.5% abv, the body feels remarkably well-balanced thanks to its vibrant freshness. Fine-grained tannins provide structure and race, whilst the juicy fruit is accompanied by a savoury, spicy character.
Finish
Characterised by breathtaking tension, impressive length and a grippy persistence that makes it immensely drinkable.
Terroir & Origin
Sourced from a tiny 0.3-hectare single vineyard in Viñaspre (Rioja Alavesa), situated at an altitude of 560 metres at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria. The vines, planted in 1952, root deeply in wind-swept plots on poor calcareous marl and sandstone.
Grape Variety & Vinification
A traditional field blend of 40% Tempranillo along with 30% each of the white grape varieties Viura and Malvasia. Winemaker Roberto Oliván harvests the grapes together and ferments them whole-cluster in open vats, before maturing the wine in used 500-litre oak casks.
Food Pairings
Pairs perfectly with air-dried Spanish ham specialities such as Jamón Ibérico or Jamón Serrano.
Key Features
A fascinating terroir wine from biodynamic viticulture: the rare combination of red and white grapes lends this single-vineyard wine its unique freshness and distinctive character. The label features the series’ eponymous lizard dressed in human attire.
