• Appelation d’origine as Rioja
• Types of wines
• Questions About Wine
• Wine and Health
• Añadas (Vintage Years)

TYPES

Red Wine called “De año”

It is also called “cosechero”. This wine is young, only one or to years old, and it keeps its original freshness and fruity taste. It is made following the  “old times” style called "carbonic maceration". This wine is made with great craftsmanship and each winegrower tries to improve it year after year, mainly by “pampering”  the vineyard so as to get a high quality yield.

Until the end of the 18 th century the wine was elaborated in this way. From then, since the “cosechero” wine is difficult to preserve, the winegrowers considered to adopt the Bordeaux process, which consists of removing the stalk from the bunch of grapes before the fermentation begins.

Red Wine called “Crianza”

By means of the Bordeaux process also called “despalillado” (stalk removing) winegrowers get a type of wine that is aromatic, bitterer and sour. It is not so nice, if it is consumed when it is still young, as the one obtained by the system of Carbonic Maceration. These wines are reserved for the type called “Crianza”.

The “crianza” wine is made in casks of 225 litres with periodic moving until it is bottled.

Thanks to the experience that history provides, the oak tree wood is considered to be the most suitable for this activity among all  the existing types. This wood has an influence on the colour, bouquet and composition of the wine.

	Carbonic Maceration ( With grape stalk )			Bordeaux System ( Without grape stalk )
	First Wine	Middle Wine	Last Wine
Strength	12,0	12,7	12,7	12,8
Acidity	6,0	4,0	3,5	5,5
Colour %	3,0	7,0	9,0	6,0

Types of wines:

AÑO		Wines that are one or two years old. They keep its original freshness and fruity taste. .
CRIANZA		Tinto Red Wine : it is at least three years old from the beginning of the process. It must be kept in a cask at least for one year.
		Blanco: It is processed in the same way as the red wine but unlike this one it has to be kept in a cask for at least six months.
RESERVA Wines selected from very good vintage years		Red Wine : It is over three years old from the beginning of the process. One year in a cask.
		Blanco: Two years old and at least six months in a cask.
GRAN RESERVA Wines selected from excellent vintage years		Red Wine : Five years. Two in a cask and three years bottled .
		Blanco: Four years old and six months in a cask .

 

Ayuntamiento de Laguardia
Guardiako Udala
© 2005