Description
Country : Spain
Grape Variety : Viura
A crisp, zesty refreshing white from the Spanish grape, Viura. Lots of citrussy fruit and zingy acidity make this wine mouthwatering and appealing, and at 12% abv it is light and elegant. If you like a dry French Sauvignon you might well enjoy this for a change. Mix it up a bit!
Tasting Note : Light, fresh notes of citrus fruits come through on the nose. On the palate the wine is light and crisp, with lemony fruit and hits of peach; the finish is dry and crisp.
Food Pairing : Without food as an aperitif; plain grilled white fish; prawns or crusty bread with aioli (it will cut through the garlic and refresh your palate).
More info : Most people associate the Rioja region in Northern Spain with red wines. However, white grapes are also grown here, with Viura the predominant white variety. Historically, the Viura would spend many months, if not years, in oak before being released for consumption, and whilst this appealed to the local Spanish market at the time, it did not have international appeal. Enter the stainless steel tank and the ability to ferment at low temperatures and the wine was transformed! Although today there are still some very good oaky whites produced from the Viura, the majority of wines are light and fresh, made for drinking young. White Rioja is now a ‘thing’, and appears on wine lists in many trendy bars and restaurants.
Winery : Bodegas Franco-Espanolas was founded in 1890 at a time when French winemakers were moving to Spain to escape the scourge of phylloxera which was devastating their vineyards. Originally a collaboration between Fréderic Anglade Saunat from France and various Spanish partners, the winery has consistently produced high quality wines over the past 125 years. Now under the ownership of the Eguizabal family, there are lots of new projects underway to keep the winery evolving in line with modern requirements, without losing its links with history and tradition. The wines from this producer really do offer fantastic quality for price; we highly recommend them.
