Last Christmas I had the opportunity to taste Beronia 198 Barricas Reserva 2008. It was a present, and though I bring here mainly wines below € 12, I have made an exception on this occasion. Something that I will allow me doing occasionally, as long as the price is within a reasonable limit, more suitable as a gift than for regular consumption. Needless to say I very much enjoyed this wine. Superb!
By the way, Beronia Crianza (Tasting Notes PDF) is available in Madrid at Licores Lafuente at € 6,60. Though it has not been commented here, it’s one of my favourite wines, a classic Rioja that will never disappoint us.
Winery: Bodegas Beronia S.A. Carretera de Ollauri a Nájera, km.1,8. 26220 Ollauri-La Rioja. Spain. Beronia was founded in 1973 by a group of businessmen, friends from the Basque country who would come to La Rioja on holiday. The friends had a great love of food and wine and created their own gastronomic society , or txoko as it is called locally, in the area. They decided, to produce their own wines to enjoy with the local cuisine, specialising in Reserva and Gran Reserva style wines. The winery was integrated into the González Byass Family of Wine group in 1982 and began an expansion into international markets. Today Beronia is one of the most renowned Spanish wineries both in international and domestic markets, producing pure and traditional Rioja wines with their own personality and Beronia style.
- Phone:
+ 34 941 338 000.
- Winemaker: Matias Calleja
- Website: www.beronia.com
- Brand: 198 Barricas
- DO: DOCa Rioja
- Type: Reserva Red Wine. Ageing: 24 months in the best 198 mixed oak barrels, American staves and French tops.
- Vintage: 2008
- Alcohol: 14% vol
- Grape Variety: 90% Tempranillo, 6% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo
- Vineyards: The winery is surrounded by 25 hectares of own vineyards. In addition the Beronia technical team control 870 hectares of specially selected vineyards, situated within a 10km radius of the winery therefore maintaining the Rioja Alta character. The average age of these vineyards is 30 years however 50 hectares are more than 60 years old.
- Soil Type: Bodegas Beronia is situated in the village of Ollauri, in the heart of Rioja Alta. The area has a number of different micro-climates depending on the orientation of the vineyard and the protection from the winds from the Ebro valley. The soils have a balanced structure of sand, sediments and clay, with low alkalinity and little organic material, making them ideal for the production of quality wines Rioja’s winters are cold with snow in January, while summers are mild. The rainfall is modest and dispersed throughout the whole year (600l/m2). The climate, the protection from the Atlantic influence and the richness of the minerals from the river Ebro, make Rioja an ideal area for the cultivation vines.
- Bottle Size: 75.0 cl.
- Price: Available at Beronia website here at € 22.00.
- My wine rating: 97/100 (A wine of distinction) NEW!
VINTAGE: The 2008 vintage finished at the beginning of November with a slightly lower production than in previous years. The vegetative cycle was satisfactory and the climatology was exceptionally favourable during the final phase being decisive in the high quality of the harvest. Due to these favourable conditions the sanitary state of the grape was near perfect. The 2008 harvest was classified by the Rioja Regulatory Council as Very Good as it showed extremely high quality allowing for the production of exceptional wines.
WINEMAKING: This wine is only produced in the best years and is fruit of an exhaustive selection of the best Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo grapes. The grapes undergo cold maceration before fermentation in order to extract colour and aromas. Alcoholic fermentation is then carried out at controlled temperature of below 26ºC with periodic pumping over. The wine is then aged in a selection of the best 198 new mixed barrels with American staves and French tops for 24 months. The wine was bottled in September 2011 and will remain a minimum of 2 years in bottle before being released to the market.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES: Beronia 198 Barricas 2008 shows an intense deep cherry red colour with red brick tones. On the nose it is intense and spicy with notes of tobacco mixed with chocolate, nuts and dried fruits. On the palate it is balanced and elegant with mature fruit and reminders of chocolate and spices. The good structure and silky smooth finish stand out.
SERVING AND PAIRING: Perfect with red meats such as T-Bone steak and mature goats cheese. Serve between 15º and 17ºC. Recommended consumption now until 2020 if kept in optimum conditions. (Source: Beronia Website)
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