Bodegas Luis Canas Vinas Viejas Blanco 2023

96 Points - Decanter

Bodegas Luis Cañas has been at the heart of Rioja since 1928 and has played an enormous role in shaping the Alavesa’s – and Rioja’s – modern incarnation.

Comprising some of the region’s best and highest altitude vineyards, the soil in this area is thin and produces small bunches – perfect for making highly concentrated Rioja wines. The vineyards are divided into hundreds of individual plots, each planted with gnarly old bush vines on chalky-clay soils that shelter under the magnificent Sierra de Cantabria range. Rioja Alavesa has the largest number of ‘Viñedo Singulares’ in Rioja and Luis Cañas is an exemplary producer of single vineyard wines from the region. The estate’s director of viticulture, Rubén Jiménez, is celebrated for the important research he has conducted into identifying special sites in the Alavesa, as well as recovering an extraordinary number of ‘lost and ancient’ varieties from the family’s vineyards. He was named Grower of the Year by Tim Atkin MW in 2023 for the vital work he is doing to advance and safeguard the region. In 2016, Juan Luis, son of Luis Cañas, opened Bodegas Amaren in the neighbouring village of Samaniego and named his own son, Jon Cañas, as winemaker.

Viticulture

With 350 hectares of outstanding vineyards, split across 870 different plots, the viticultural department control every aspect. Each of the plots has its own personality and is categorised and used for different wines according to its characteristics. Vines are situated on slopes and terraces of limestone and clay soil, well exposed to the sun and are at least 65+ years old.

Winemaking

Grapes are hand selected and brought to the winery in the smallest tractors in the region. They are hand sorted at on of the wineries two Mistral sorting tables, where Juan Luis Cañas stands watch at each harvest. Fermentation occurs in French Oak Barrels for 17 days before the wine is aged in new French and American oak for 5 months with a proportion in concrete tank and clay vessels, with battonage on the lees, until bottling.

Tasting Note

A beautifully balanced example of white Rioja that straddles the styles of the old and the new. Vibrant citrussy Viura is blended with the more weighty Malvasia and the brief barrel maturation adds a honeyed roundness to the crisp lemony fruit. Beautiful golden yellow colour with bright lemon-tinted reflections. Elegant, combining hints of flowers, fruits and hazelnuts. Dry, with just enough acidity to make it fresh and lively with a structured and tasty finish of ripe fruit.

Food Matching

Perfect with seafood and shellfish, meats, salads, risottos as well as mild cheeses and nuts.