Winemaker Notes
Bright amber color with golden undertones. White floral overtones give way to citrus zest, baked apples with herbal undertones, and a dash of spice. Crisp and lively in the mouth, with a satisfyingly balanced core and robust, supple tannins. Aromas of green pineapple and melon are introduced to the nose in an evocative way. Well-built, enduring, and well rounded with a lingering, reviving aftertaste.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Minimal intervention, 75% Viura and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, organically farmed on two plots at 615m and 580m respectivel, from vines more than 70 years old. The wine is fermented in stainless steel using indigenous yeasts, aged in French oak barrels for 12 months then rested for four months in concrete and a further 15 months in bottle prior to release. Amber in colour, this has obvious skin contact, a bit of grip and lovely texture. It's all about the mouthfeel with wonderful vibrancy and zesty orange peel. A different and unique interpretation of Rioja that truly works; delicious, with loads of personality.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
My favorite of the whites is the 2019 Suañé Blanco Reserva. On top of the skin-contact profile, it has a more reductive and stony personality—a little spicy, toasty and yeasty. It's an unusual blend of 75% Viura and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, but the varietal character does not prevail; it's more influenced by the skins, which is milder (it was only 10 days), and the élevage in 228-liter oak barrels and seven months in concrete eggs with the lees. It's tasty and spicy and has a chalky, dry texture.
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Vinous
The 2019 Bianco Reserva Suañé is a white from Rioja made from Viura with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented on skins and aged in wood, it delivers resinous aromas layered with vanilla and oak. Dry and structured, the palate reflects its skin-contact vinification. The 2019 is a funky but well-composed wine for lovers of low-intervention styles.
Commonly found as a single varietal white or blended with Malavasia and Grenache Blanc, Viura is a vital, leading white grape of Rioja. It also thrives in the lower elevations of the Penedes, where it takes the name Macabeo and adds aromatic and fruity notes to the traditional Cava blend with Parellada and Xarel-lo. Somm Secret—Called Macabeu in France, this versatile grape is prevalent in Roussillon where it makes still, sparkling, dry and sweet wines.
Highly regarded for distinctive and age-worthy red wines, Rioja is Spain’s most celebrated wine region. Made up of three different sub-regions of varying elevation: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. Wines are typically a blend of fruit from all three, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta, at the highest elevation, is considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier Rioja Oriental produce wines with deep color and higher alcohol, which can add great body and richness to a blend.
Fresh and fruity Rioja wines labeled, Joven, (meaning young) see minimal aging before release, but more serious Rioja wines undergo multiple years in oak. Crianza and Reserva styles are aged for one year in oak, and Gran Reserva at least two, but in practice this maturation period is often quite a bit longer—up to about fifteen years.
Tempranillo provides the backbone of Rioja red wines, adding complex notes of red and black fruit, leather, toast and tobacco, while Garnacha supplies body. In smaller percentages, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) often serve as “seasoning” with additional flavors and aromas. These same varieties are responsible for flavorful dry rosés.
White wines, typically balancing freshness with complexity, are made mostly from crisp, fresh Viura. Some whites are blends of Viura with aromatic Malvasia, and then barrel fermented and aged to make a more ample, richer style of white.