Bodegas Lan Culmen Reserva 2011

Founded in 1972, Bodegas LAN lies in the heart of Rioja Alta. The name LAN comes from the initials of the three provinces of the Rioja Designation of Origin: Logroño, Álava and Navarra. María Barua has been the head winemaker and technical director since 2002, and brings both scientific expertise (with an academic background in chemistry in addition to her oenology degree) and local knowledge (having been born and raised in Rioja). Together with her young and energetic team, María focuses on using the latest advances in winemaking to ‘express the virtues of the land’.

The estate farms its Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano and Garnacha vineyards sustainably. The Viña Lanciano vineyard is one of the most spectacular vineyards in the region, located on a bend of the River Ebro. The vineyard’s poor, stony soils and the average vine age of 60 years are both conducive to low yields. The vines are divided into 24 plots of different soils, grape varieties and aspects so that each can be hand-picked at perfect ripeness. In the winery, there is a rigorous selection process to ensure that only perfect bunches are used. Bodegas LAN also painstakingly select and test their oak barrels and have even pioneered a hybrid barrel - American staves with French oak heads - which they feel imparts the best characteristics of both types of oak on a wine.