Bodegas Aiurri 'Salas' 2021

93 Points - Tim Atkins

Notes from the Winemaker

Salas 2021 is the interpretation of a unique plot marked by the Topography of the Sierra de Toloño. 6.4 acres of 100 year-old vines of clonal biodiversity that in turn make up micro-plots with their own identity within the same vineyard. The authenticity and personality of a unique spot. Viticulture that is extremely respectful of the environment and the natural cycles of the vine. The purest essence of a centuries-old vineyard that has defied the passage of time. Complexity and liveliness. Pure expression of the Salas area.
 

Climate conditions
 The 2021 vintage was notable for the abundant rainfall during the winter, 12% above average in the Leza area. We worked with plant covers to improve the soil structure and increase the microbiological richness of each plot. Sprouting took place during the month of April without any weather or plant health incidents. The organic management of the crop and the good weather allowed the vineyards to be treated with natural products. The mild summer temperatures preserved the acidity and freshness of the grapes. In order to reach the optimum ripening point, two harvests were carried out on the plot: the first on October 2 and the second on October 13,  2021.
 

The character of a unique vineyard
 The Salas plot is located in the foothills of the Serranía de Toloño mountain range in the municipality of Leza. Old vineyards with vines that are around one hundred years old and are planted in silty loam soils. These particularities, together with the microclimate caused by the mountainous terrain, make Salas a plot with unique and 
exceptional characteristics that will help it mature the raw material. Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano, together with other white varieties, such as Viura, grow on 100-year old vines.
 

Two harvests, one plot
 The grapes from the centenary plot in the Salas area were harvested by hand after exhaustive monitoring throughout the ripening cycle. In order to harvest the grapes at perfect maturity, the grapes were harvested in two phases, two weeks apart. Once in the winery, the wine is vinified separately with spontaneous fermentations, gentle 
and short extractions and very controlled temperatures in French oak vats. During the aging process, 40% of the grapes from the first harvest were aged for 18 months in Roman amphorae, while the remaining 60%, the second harvest, spent 18 months in French oak barrels of different sizes. After the final blending, the wine was aged 
for nine months in Roman amphorae and French oak barrels.  It was bottled in the spring of 2023.