Bodegas Tarón, recognised as Best Cooperative by Tim Atkin
16/02/2023
Tarón Reserva 2016 wins Grand Gold Medal, the highest award, at the international competition Mundus Vini
06/03/2023Bodegas Tarón presents the new vintage of one of its most emblematic wines: Tarón Reserva 2016, the fruit of vines over 50 years old spread across the four villages that make up Territorio Tarón: Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón, Sajazarra, Tirgo and Villaseca. This wine expresses the essence of this area of Rioja Alta and the wisdom of several generations of winegrowers who make up the cooperative.
The vineyards are harvested by hand, with yields of around 5,000 kg per hectare of production, in which an exhaustive ripening control is carried out. In this way, the optimum harvest time is sought to allow the wine to express its great potential and ageing capacity.
Made from a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo, the grapes are harvested by hand in small crates. The grapes are carefully taken to the winery and the grapes or parts of the cluster that do not give the right profile are removed on a sorting table.
In its production, priority is given to respecting the fruit as much as possible. It is cold macerated for the first 2-3 days and is pumped over daily during fermentation. At the end of malolactic fermentation, the wine is racked and rests for a winter before being transferred into new American oak barrels. It remains there for 24 months in a semi-buried cellar with constant temperature and humidity throughout the year. After this time, the wine will spend another winter in a stainless steel tank to finish cleaning naturally, avoiding subsequent treatments that detract from its organoleptic characteristics. When it is ready, it will be bottled and will rest in a bottle with controlled temperature and humidity for at least 18 months before being put on the market.
Its ruby red colour stands out. It is clean and bright, with a medium-high robe. It has a pleasant nose, full of surprises: dried plums, hints of tobacco, elegant aromas of liquorice, spices and menthol notes with a slight mineral touch. In the mouth it expresses an elegant, ripe, tasty, fine and silky tannin, with a good acidity that balances the palate.
In its still brief trajectory, Tarón Reserva 2016 has already reaped good reviews, obtaining 92 James Suckling points, with the following comment: “A medium-to full-bodied yet supple Rioja with notes of wild berries, vanilla, dark plums, black peppercorns, black walnuts, clove and dried mushrooms. Well structured and serious, with a long, savory and flavorful finish. Tempranillo and mazuelo. Vegan. Drink or hold”.
