Name: Sierra de Tolono Rioja Garnacha de Altura "La Dula" 2023 750ml
Brand: Sierra De Tolono
SKU: 999646
Price: 30.94 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 92.7 (3 reviews)

Items not labeled as Rapid Ship or Pre-arrival may require a transfer from the warehouse to our shipping facility before shipping, which can take 4–6 business days. Learn more on the Shipping Info page.

In-store Only Items

These items are available at our location to purchase in-store, or to choose in-store pickup at checkout.

Long-term Pre-arrival Items

Long Term Pre-arrival Definition: Ordering wine directly through us from our supplier partners in Europe in advance of the item’s physical arrival in the US.

Long Term Pre-arrival sales ensure you’re getting the best possible price and that you have also secured the product before it hits the normal retail supply chain. The lead time for Pre-arrival goods is generally 4–8 months, sometimes longer based on supply chain and the logistics of transporting goods overseas. The expectation, from our team, is to communicate to the customer the location of their purchase every step of the way.

Case Only Items

This product is offered as a full case purchase option, minimum order quantities may be applicable. When available, multiple case options will be presented. If you are purchasing a Pre-Arrival item you must order a solid case.

Rapid Ship

Items listed as "rapid ship" are in stock and available for immediate pickup or shipment. Those that do not have the "rapid ship" icon are housed with our supplier and must be transferred to our warehouse before they can be picked up or shipped. This requires 4-6 business days but usually occurs sooner. Some products will list both options of availability as there will be a certain number in stock, with the option to order additional bottles to be transferred from the supplier.

Item qualifies for 12 Ship FREE. Choose 12 bottles, get free shipping.

We offer FREE ground shipping and discounted upgraded shipping on orders with multiples of 12 qualifying bottles. Solid cases or mix-and-match, look for the yellow 12 FREE badge and save!

Learn More

See All 12 Ship Free Items

Enter your ZIP code to determine if we ship to your location

See our Shipping Info and FAQs pages for more.

Winery

Sierra De Tolono

Shop all from Sierra De Tolono

Varietal

Grenache

The purple skinned grapes of the Grenache varietal have quickly become one of the most widely planted red wine grapes in the world, flourishing in several countries which have the correct conditions in which they can grow to ripeness. They thrive anywhere with a dry, hot climate, such as that found in central Spain and other such arid areas, and produce delightfully light bodied wines full of spicy flavors and notes of dark berries. Their robustness and relative vigor has led them being a favorite grape varietal for wineries all over the world, and whilst it isn't uncommon to see bottles made from this varietal alone, they are also regularly used as a blending grape due to their high sugar content and ability to produce wines containing a relatively high level of alcohol.

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.

WA 93pts

Wine Advocate

The 2023 La Dula was produced with Garnacha from high-altitude vineyards in the village of Rivas de Tereso. It fermented in 300-liter clay amphorae and matured in foudres and amphorae for eight months. It has contained ripeness, only 13.5% alcohol (low for Garnacha), a pH of 3.36 and 5.8 grams of acidity, coming through as medium-bodied, fine, elegant and balanced, juicy and with very fine tannins. It may not be too complex, but it's super tasty. 6,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2024.

VM 93pts

Vinous Media

The 2023 Garnacha de Altura La Dula from Ribas de Tereso is open and expressive aromatically, combining rose, soft violet, potpourri and Mediterranean herbs. Juicy and agile on the palate, it is driven by lively acidity and a silky flow. Very fine tannins provide energy and subtle grip without disturbing the texture. A Garnacha of pedigree, it is poised between the ethereal and the powerful, yet above all precise.

WS 92pts

Wine Spectator

Fresh and focused, this light- to medium-bodied version offers flavors of black raspberry, blood orange peel and sweet paprika, plus savory notes of black olive and wild thyme that are integrated with fine, taut tannins. Balanced, bright and classy. Drink now through 2038. 550 cases made, 150 cases imported.

Winery Notes

The 2020 vintage was the first release from Sandra and it is almost hard to believe that the wine turned out so beautiful (let’s not forget that Sandra is still a relatively new winemaker). She, of course, will say it was all due to the vineyards where the wine came from, and she might not be wrong. The grapes came from high altitude, organically farmed vineyards (700 meters) in the Rivas de Tereso zone, with an average age of 70 years-old. The Atlantic micro-climate, the elevation and the high content of limestone in the soils all but assured a fresh, electric wine. Spontaneous fermentation in old used foudres, and elevage in clay amphorae. No filtration, no clarification, sulfur at 12 ppm.

On Sale

Recent E-mail Deals

Great Wines Under $30

Bulk Price Deals

3 Great Wines Under $30 – Spanish Edition

Oregon: Beautiful, Green, Overcast… You Get It.

3 Great Wines Under $30 – Episode 9: Rent-Friendly Reds

Sierra de Tolono Rioja Garnacha de Altura “La Dula” 2023 750ml

More Vintages: