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	My Rating (circle) : Date Printed: 5/25/2013

Bodegas Valsacro Dioro Rioja 2005

Bodegas Valsacro Dioro Rioja 2005 (search item no. 116072) International Wine Cellar rating: 92 points The Wine Advocate rating: 92 points PRICE ON 5/25/2013: $19.99

Winemaker's Notes: The earlier Valsacros were made from a field selection of the older vineyards. Now, thanks to a new wine facility, Valsacro Dioro is produced with a four-stage selection process that includes an initial field selection of the fruit followed by a second table selection as the grapes come into the winery. After fermentation wine from selected tanks is transferred to new French oak barrels for 12-14 months of barrel age. Finally, the best barrels are set aside for this Dioro.

My Notes:

About Bodegas Valsacro: The Escudero family has been making wine and growing grapes for generations in the rugged, semi-desert foothills around Grávalos in the southwestern corner of the Rioja Baja region. Over the last 15 years or so, the Escudero brothers led by Bordeaux-trained winemaker Amador have transformed the small family "bodega" into a major Rioja wine producer. The changes have come gradually and in addition to the new winery at Pradejón (near Calahorra) they have greatly extended vineyard acreage, a very successful "cava" sparkling wine venture (one of the few non-Catalonian cava makers), and extensive Chardonnay plantings (disallowed in Rioja, but OK for cava).