Rioja Tempranillo Blanco “Señorío de Ondarre” 2018 – Bodegas Ondarre

The grapes to produce Rioja Tempranillo Blanco “Señorío de Ondarre” Bodegas Ondarre were picked early in order to capture the optimum aromatic ripeness and were gently pressed. Half the must was fermented in French oak barriques that saw minimal toasting. The wine was kept on its fine lees for two months. The remaining half was slowly fermented in stainless steel tanks between 14 to 16°C. The two wines of Rioja Tempranillo Blanco “Señorío de Ondarre” Bodegas Ondarre were then carefully blended to achieve the perfect balance between structure and aromatic freshness. The vineyards are situated on Rioja Valley’s northern hills on south-facing slopes, at an altitude of 550 metres above sea level. The vines, which have an average age of 25 years, are planted in uneven terrain due to several streams that run down the mountains that mark the northern border of Rioja. The soils are generally poor in nutrients and very shallow, just 30 to 35 centimetres in depth, which encourage the vines to send their roots deeper in search of nutrients and water. The soils vary from plot to plot, but there is a prevalence of clay based soils with high iron and chalk content. The clay content retains water, which nourishes the vines during the warm summers and the iron content is an essential nutrient for photosynthesis.