The Story
The Ramirez de la Piscina family has been growing grapes in San Vicente de la Sonsierra since the 13th century, and they take their name from a 12th-century Romanesque hermitage that still stands nearby. That's the kind of continuity that makes Rioja Rioja. The Crianza is all Tempranillo, hand-picked from vineyards in Abalos and San Vicente in the Rioja Alta, then aged 14 months in used American and French barrels - used being the key word, since the oak is there to season the wine, not to cover it. This is the everyday bottle in the classic Rioja tradition: red-fruited, gently spiced, ready to drink, and priced to open on a Tuesday without a second thought.
Description
The Ramirez de la Piscina family has been growing grapes in San Vicente de la Sonsierra since the 13th century, and they take their name from a 12th-century Romanesque hermitage that still stands nearby. That's the kind of continuity that makes Rioja Rioja. The Crianza is all Tempranillo, hand-picked from vineyards in Abalos and San Vicente in the Rioja Alta, then aged 14 months in used American and French barrels - used being the key word, since the oak is there to season the wine, not to cover it. This is the everyday bottle in the classic Rioja tradition: red-fruited, gently spiced, ready to drink, and priced to open on a Tuesday without a second thought.
