The basis for the balanced Conde Valdemar Gran Reserva Rioja from La Rioja is grapes from the Graciano and Tempranillo varieties. After harvesting, the grapes quickly reach the winery. Here, they are selected and carefully crushed. This is followed by fermentation in oak barrels at controlled temperatures. Vinification is followed by 30 months of aging in French oak barrels.
This exceptionally well-rounded wine boasts a beautiful bouquet of highly concentrated black fruit, butterscotch, caramel, and lovely hints of vanilla, wood, and spice. The palate of this Conde de Valdemar Rioja Gran Reserva is powerful, thanks in part to the oak aging and the bottle aging. After aging in oak barrels, the wine is then bottle-aged for three years in Valdemar's cellars. This results in a top-class wine with aromas of black fruit, tobacco, chocolate, vanilla, wood, and so much more. Be sure to open this Valdemar Gran Reserva well in advance, as it needs plenty of air to fully develop. The finish is long and rich, with a lovely, slightly creamy finish—in short, a gem of a Rioja.
