Sierra Cantabria Reserva 1991 (12 bottles) Bodegas Sierra Cantabria - (San Vicente de la Sonsierra, La Rioja Alta) D.O.: Rioja Rioja Vintage Rating 1991: VERY GOOD "The Sierra Cantabria Reserva is made with grapes from its own vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, worked under integrated viticulture concepts. The aim is to be respectful of the environment, intervening as little as possible on the vine and avoiding the use of chemical substances in the vineyard. The Tempranillo variety grapes are picked by hand and selected first in the vineyard itself and then again in the winery. The fruit from the old vines over 30 years old is destemmed to ferment with wild yeasts for 8 days with slight temperature control and two daily pumping overs. Once fermentation is finished, maceration continues for two weeks, but the number of pumping overs is reduced to avoid the extraction of vegetal aromas. After this period, the wine ages for 18 months in mostly used American and French oak barrels with racking every 4 months. It will be bottled unfiltered and will reach our glasses fresh, elegant and full of character. Its nose, dominated by memories of wild fruits and plums, is the prelude to a well-structured body, with good acidity, character and expressiveness. Its tannins are clearly perceptible but very ripe, its touch is earthy and, with a certain temperature and time in the glass, the wine develops fascinating cocoa aromas. The wood of the barrel adds the memories of a box of cigars and spices, as well as an elegant note of graphite to the whole. Finish of medium intensity, well proportioned and of a certain opulence; fresh, bitter and refined, as expected from a great Rioja classic."