Name: Miguel Merino Rioja la Loma 2023 750ml
Brand: Miguel Merino
SKU: 1025095
Price: 69.2 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 94.5 (2 reviews)

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Winery

Miguel Merino

Shop all from Miguel Merino

Country

Spain

Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.

Region

La Rioja

La Rioja is by far the most famous wine region of Spain, and remains one of the world's great wine producing regions, consistently offering deep, complex red wines of character and distinction, partly due to the fact that La Rioja benefits from excellent soils, rich in minerals and nutrients, and plenty of sunshine. The climatic conditions allow the fine grape varietals to reach full ripeness and express plenty of the best features of their terroir, making La Rioja wines some of the most interesting to have ever come out of Europe. The Cantabrian mountains to the north provide the perfect shelter from the colder, wetter influences of the Atlantic oceans, and in the beloved vineyards of La Rioja, wineries have been cultivating exceedingly flavorful Tempranillo grapes for generations for the inclusion in their fine single variety and blended wines.

Appellation

Rioja

Rioja, a renowned wine appellation in Spain, stands as an emblem of the country's winemaking heritage and innovation. What makes Rioja unique is its commitment to blending traditional and modern winemaking methods. Primarily crafted from Tempranillo, with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo as supporting players, Rioja wines showcase a remarkable balance of fruit, oak, and complex aging. Rioja's classification system, featuring Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, delineates the aging periods, highlighting the region's dedication to quality. The use of American oak barrels imparts distinctive vanilla and coconut notes, contributing to Rioja's recognizable profile. The diverse terroir, from the high-altitude vineyards of Rioja Alta to the warmer Rioja Baja, adds depth and complexity to the wines. Exploring Rioja allows enthusiasts to savor the rich tapestry of Spanish winemaking, where historic bodegas coexist with modern practices, resulting in wines that seamlessly marry tradition and innovation, offering a glimpse into the soul of Spanish viticulture.

VM 95pts

Vinous Media

From vines planted in 1946 on a mosaic of soils, the 2023 La Loma (Tempranillo with 10% Garnacha) was aged for one year in 500-liter French oak barrels. Bottled nine months ago, it opens on the nose with soft oak and delicate fruit, alongside floral hints of rose and balsamic herbs, plus touches of ash and tobacco. On the palate, it is nuanced and layered, combining fresh energy with fine tension and precision. Direct yet elegant, it balances sun-touched warmth with refinement.

WA 94pts

Wine Advocate

The 2023 La Loma is a single-vineyard red from a site they have been working since 2021 and bought in 2022, mostly Tempranillo with some 10% Garnacha from vines planted in 1946 in the higher zones of La Demanda Mountains at 534 meters in altitude. It fermented with destemmed but uncrushed grapes and indigenous yeasts in a small vat and matured for 14 months in used 500-liter French and Austrian barrels. It serious but expressive and open, with perfumed notes and a combination of herbs and spices too. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol, denoting ripeness, while keeping a pH of 3.5 and 5.3 grams of acidity that provide balance. The wine comes through as elegant and serious with pungent flavors and a very tasty finish. 2,516 bottles were filled in April 2024.

Winery Notes

90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha, sourced from La Loma, a vineyard in the southwest of Briones at 534 meters above sea level. The vines are planted in the traditional "vaso" (bush) style on an east-facing slope in calcareous soil. Grapes are hand-harvested, cold-soaked for three days, and then fermented in stainless steel. Aged 14 months in French oak barrels.