Solar de Randez Blanco 2022 (750 ml)

100% Viura

Fermentation: Stainless Steel

ABV: 13.5%

Sustainable farming methods

'Solar de Randez' roughly means the ‘House of Randez,’ which is an old family name of the estate ‘orcas’ refers to an old local tool that was used to turn up the dirt between rows in the vineyard. 

Solar de Randez Blanco is made only from Viura (known as Macabeo in Catalunya) grapes, from Raimundo’s wife’s family vineyards that are now nearly 80 years old, creating a blanco which is a dynamite example of a fresh style of white Rioja. Coming from 4 vineyards equaling under 3 hectares, the grapes generally all face the south and sit on Rioja Alavesa’s famous calcareous clay soils. It sat on lees for three months with regular stirring, adding to the mouthfeel and balance of the wine before it was bottled and ready for the market. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation, and the finished result is elegantly crisp, but with texture and balance; accented by a lovely floral note, and loaded with sexy tree fruit aromas. This white Rioja is made in a modern concept avoiding oxidation and wood aging, but is built with incredible structure and depth for a surprising longevity.

Bodegas las Orcas is a small, family-owned and operated winery in the Rioja Alavesa region of Spain. The winery dates back to the year 1900 in the medieval town of Laguardia, where the family wines were made in their traditional cellar underneath the town until the construction of their new bodega happened just outside the town walls in 1999. Raimundo and his wife Cristina run the winery today and make remarkable Rioja wines using only fruit from their own family vineyards. The vineyards are tended naturally without the use of artificial fertilizers or pesticides, and the wines are fermented using native yeasts and absolutely minimal filtration (also, all the wines are vegan friendly). This is exceptional Rioja that brings together historic practices in the cellar, while also taking advantage of some more modern techniques, all while offering great value for authentically made wine from an area where large production has become a norm.

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