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Spotlight On: Campo Viejo

Kori — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 14:00:18 +0000

Spotlight On: Campo Viejo

By Kori ~ June 5th, 2015.

Campo Viejo in Rioja, Spain

Campo Viejo was founded in 1959 by two winemakers from Rioja, Spain, Bernardo Beristain and Jose Ortigüela. The winery name, Campo Viejo, was inspired by the land in El Villar de Arnedo where Jose Ortigüela spent his childhood. Directly translated from Spanish to English, “Campo Viejo” means “old field”. Situated in the heart of Rioja in the Ebro Valley on a high plateau near Logroño, the winery offers beautiful panoramic views of the vineyards and nearby mountain ranges. After 56 years, Campo Viejo is still going strong, producing accessible and approachable wines in Rioja. Campo Viejo is the #1 Rioja producer in terms of sales worldwide with annual production at 2.1 million cases. Many of the Campo Viejo wines are widely available in the United States.

Elena Adell has been the chief winemaker at Campo Viejo since 1998. Born in Logroño in 1958, Elena has over 30 years of experience in the wine industry. In 2001, Campo Viejo built a new state-of-the-art winery. Elena was very involved with the plans for the new winery from the beginning and was able to work with the architectural team to design a facility with tradition and sustainability in mind. The production facility is underground and utilizes gravity in their winemaking processes. When the grapes come into their production facility, they are separated by variety, region, and so forth. The way Elena and her team works allows them to make wine on a large scale but in the manner of a smaller producer. In 2012, Campo Viejo became the first Spanish winery to achieve Carbon Neutral certification.

Elena Adell, Campo Viejo chief winemaker

Recently, I had the pleasure to visit Campo Viejo on a press trip to Rioja. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Elena and getting a first-hand look at the Campo Viejo operation. The attention to detail in both the vineyards and winery is evident and quite amazing for a winery with such a large production level.

Rioja, located in north-central Spain, is probably the most well known wine region in Spain and one of the most prominent in the world. Red wines from Rioja are typically Tempranillo-based and may have some Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo, or Graciano blended in as well. Tempranillo is not particularly a fruit-driven wine, often showing aromas and flavors of wood and leather up front. Given this flavor profile, Tempranillo wines often seem older than they actually are. Taking its name from the Spanish word “temprano” which means early, Tempranillo tends to ripen early.

“I adore working with Tempranillo. It’s such a versatile grape. I love seeing the many different ways it can express its character in such a diverse range of wines.” –Elena Adell, Campo Viejo chief winemaker

Kori in the Campo Viejo vineyard

During my visit, we toured the vineyard located at the winery with Campo Viejo’s vineyard manager Mario Ezquerro. Rioja has diverse soils, geography, topography, and climates in its three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja. The winery is located in Rioja Alta, but Campo Viejo sources grapes from all three sub-regions. They are committed to sustainability and traceability and require each of their 800 growers to keep detailed records so Mario, Elena, and their team at Campo Viejo can make important decisions such as when to pick the grapes during harvest.

Elena’s attention to detail and emphasis on controlling every aspect of the winemaking process in order to produce consistently high quality wines at affordable prices is remarkable. While many winemakers stress the importance of vineyard practices, blending decisions, and the like, Elena is the first winemaker I’ve met who has talked to me about her involvement in selecting the wood to be used to make the barrels in which her wines will age. Obviously, I’ve talked to winemakers who are particular about their barrels and have distinct opinions about their barrels with a preference for oak from a certain country, i.e. American oak vs. French oak vs. Hungarian oak. However, Elena and the Campo Viejo team take it even one step further by traveling to France each year to personally select the wood from certain forests which is then brought back to Spain and made into barrels by their coopers.

Campo Viejo’s barrel room

We had the opportunity to taste a number of samples of the same wine, aged in barrels made by the same cooper, but whose wood came from different forests in France. We also tasted samples of the same wine, aged in barrels whose wood came from the same forest, but was produced by different coopers. The differences were noticeable and remarkable. Elena has studied those differences and uses them to create the blend she wants in each of her wines.

Campo Viejo produces a broad product range including a number of Tempranillo-based red wines, Garnacha, two white wines, and Tempranillo Rosé as well as two sparkling wines.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing more about the Campo Viejo wines. And if you are planning a trip to Spain anytime soon (which I highly recommend), feel free to ask me any questions about the area in the comments below or via our Contact Us form. I’m happy to help if I can.

Salud!

Filed under: General Wine Information, Spanish Wine, Spotlight On, Tempranillo, Vineyards, Wine Travel

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Fall Line Winery: Current and Upcoming Releases

Kori — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:00:37 +0000

Recently, we had the pleasure to catch up with winemaker Tim Sorenson and taste through Fall Line Winery’s current and upcoming releases. We tasted six of their current releases and also previewed three other wines that will be released in the fall of 2015. While we were very impressed with all nine wines, we thought that the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2012 Red Willow Vineyard were truly outstanding.

Tim and his wife Nancy Rivenburgh founded Fall Line Winery in 2003. Located in South Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, the winery was officially licensed and bonded in 2004. Both Tim and Nancy are avid skiers and the name “Fall Line” refers to the natural line of descent on a slope. Tim is a retired economics professor. For years, he balanced his day job at Seattle University with his budding wine career. He completed an Introduction to Winemaking course at the University of California-Davis in 2000 and has never looked back. Tim met many local winemakers during his time working at a wine shop in downtown Seattle that led to a two-year ‘vinternship’ with Ben Smith at Cadence Winery from 2002 to 2004. The 2003 vintage was Fall Line’s inaugural commercial release. Fall Line produces about 1,800 to 2,000 cases annually.

The core of Fall Line’s lineup is comprised of three single-vineyard wines, all classic Bordeaux-style red blends. They also produce a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Tempranillo, and another red blend called Exhibition. Fall Line partners with three of the most well-regarded vineyards in Washington State, all located in the Yakima Valley AVA, Artz Vineyard, Boushey Vineyard, and Red Willow Vineyard.

Artz Vineyard, owned by grower Fred Artz, is located on Red Mountain adjacent to the famed Klipsun Vineyard. In fact, Artz was the vineyard manager of Klipsun for 20 years. Fall Line has used fruit from Artz Vineyard since 2004.

Boushey Vineyard is located in the central Yakima Valley, which is relatively cooler than Red Mountain. Owner Dick Boushey, one of the most respected growers in Washington State, has been producing much sought after fruit for over 30 years. Fall Line has partnered with Boushey Vineyard since 2003, and Dick planted a block of Tempranillo especially for Fall Line in 2007.

Red Willow Vineyard, which sits in the northwest corner of the Yakima Valley AVA, is located on the fourth-generation family farm established by grower Mike Sauer’s grandfather-in-law in the 1920’s. The iconic Monsignor Chapel sits atop Red Willow’s highest hill, built with native stones from the farm. Fall Line has been working with Red Willow since 2008 and introduced its Red Willow Vineyard Red Wine in 2010.

If you have not yet tried any Fall Line wines, I encourage you to seek them out. Not only are they excellent, but they deliver serious bang for your buck as well. Fall Line holds an open house for its mailing list members on the third Saturday in November each year. Other than that event, the winery is open by appointment only.

Current Releases:

2011 Fall Line Winery Artz Vineyard Red Wine (Artz Vineyard, Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Washington): 45% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red in color. Beautiful nose with red and black fruit and cinnamon stick aromas. Black cherry, leather, and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, slightly hot, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2011 Fall Line Winery Boushey Vineyard Red Wine (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 36% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 14% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose but a bit tight at first. Black fruit, smoked meat, and game come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2011 Fall Line Winery Red Willow Vineyard Red Wine (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 47% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purplish red. Gorgeous nose with blackberry, black cherry, and spice aromas. Fruit-forward with loads of cherry and spice as well as a touch of earth and herbal notes. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2012 Fall Line Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purple in color. Nice nose with black fruit and floral notes. Blackcurrant, black cherry, leather, and smoked meat come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high tannins. Big and bold yet very smooth. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2012 Fall Line Winery Exhibition Red Wine (Yakima Valley, Washington): 28% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 21% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Tempranillo. Deep, dark red. Nice nose but a bit tight. Black and red fruit and a touch of spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish. Fruit-forward and very approachable.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $22

2012 Fall Line Winery Tempranillo (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Tempranillo. Deep purplish red. Nice nose with black fruit and floral notes. Black fruit, leather, smoked meat, and a touch of black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, and big, bold tannins.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $22

Upcoming Releases:

2012 Fall Line Winery Artz Vineyard Red Wine (Artz Vineyard, Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Washington): 50% Cabernet Franc, 46% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with red and black fruit aromas. Bright fruit, especially red and black cherry, come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $35 [to be released Fall 2015]

2012 Purple Cafe Red Wine (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Special wine produced exclusively for Purple Cafe by Fall Line Winery. 45% Merlot, 27% Petit Verdot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with black fruit aromas. Fruit-forward with bright, black cherry on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: n/a
Where to buy: Purple Cafe, $n/a [to be released Fall 2015]

2012 Fall Line Winery Red Willow Vineyard Red Wine (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 36% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purple in color. Gorgeous nose with luscious black fruit aromas. Black cherry, blackberry, earth, leather, spice, and a hint of black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity, and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $35 [to be released Fall 2015]

Fall Line Winery: Current and Upcoming Releases was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.