Bodegas Campillo 57 Selección Especial 2016 is a limited edition Rioja Gran Reserva, made as a tribute to the fourth generation of the Martínez Zabala family. The wine comes from Rioja Alavesa and is made from Tempranillo and Graciano grapes, sourced from their own vineyards around Laguardia and Oyón. With 24 months of aging in French oak barrels, 14.5% alcohol, and 96 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023, this is a serious Spanish red wine with ripe dark fruit, balsamic spiciness, and a long finish.
Bodegas Campillo is located in Laguardia, in Rioja Alavesa, at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria.
• Location / Origin: Campillo 57 comes from Rioja Alavesa, a high-altitude and cooler part of Rioja. Due to its location near the Sierra Cantabria, the vineyards benefit from cool nights, wind, and a clear difference between day and night temperatures.
• Vineyards: The Tempranillo comes from the best small plots of the El Monte estate in Laguardia, with vines over 60 years old at an altitude of more than 700 m. The Graciano comes from a small plot in Oyón, also in Rioja Alavesa.
• Altitude: The main vineyards of Bodegas Campillo are located on the southern slopes of the Sierra Cantabria, between 650 and 720 m in altitude. As a result, temperatures are approximately 3 to 4 °C lower than the average in Rioja.
• Soil: The vineyards are located on clay-limestone and clay-iron soils. These soils give Tempranillo structure, freshness, and spicy depth, while Graciano adds extra tension and color.
• Harvest: The grapes are hand-harvested into 15 kg crates. This prevents damage to the fruit and allows for careful selection before the grapes enter the winery.
Campillo 57 is made with separate vinification of Tempranillo and Graciano, followed by long aging in French oak.
• Cold Maceration: The grapes first undergo 4 days of cold maceration at 4 °C. What does cold maceration do? This technique helps to extract color, aroma, and fruit flavors from the skins before alcoholic fermentation begins.
• Fermentation: Tempranillo and Graciano ferment separately. This allows each grape to be guided according to its own character and later precisely blended in the final wine.
• Malolactic Fermentation: After alcoholic fermentation, the Graciano and half of the Tempranillo go into new 225-liter French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. This makes the acids rounder and gives the wine more texture.
• Aging / Oak Maturation: Then the other half of the Tempranillo is added, and the wine ages together for 24 months in French oak barrels. This long maturation gives notes of balsamic, vanilla, spices, toast, and dark chocolate.
• Alcohol Percentage: With 14.5% alcohol, this Rioja has sufficient power and ripeness, while the freshness of Rioja Alavesa ensures balance.
The 2016 vintage is made from Tempranillo and Graciano, although official sources do not confirm exact percentages.
• Tempranillo – Rioja Alavesa: Tempranillo forms the core of the wine and provides ripe red fruit, black cherry, structure, and the classic Rioja signature.
• Graciano – Rioja Alavesa: Graciano brings color, freshness, spiciness, and extra tension to the finish. In Rioja, this grape is often used to give wines more aromatic depth and aging potential.
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