Valenciso

Founded for the 1998 vintage by Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso, (Valen-ciso), Rioja natives with extensive experience in the making, tasting and commercialization of Rioja wines. Minority partners include former managers of Radoux, makers of the finest French oak barriques, and growers in the best areas of the Rioja Alta. A new winemaking facility under construction in the traditional Rioja village of Ollauri will be completed in time for the 2004 harvest. Valenciso's objective is to produce a single wine of the highest quality and authenticity, released as Reserva. Only the best Tempranillo grapes are used, from mature, low-yielding vineyards. Of the available fruit from the grower-partners, only a small percentage is selected. Careful harvesting is timed to capture the intensity of the fruit, while avoiding overripeness or excessive alcohol levels. Aromatic volume rather than physical weight-in the manner of French Burgundy and the greatest Riojas of the past-is the Valenciso ideal.