XF Sierra Cantabria is a vibrant, floral wine full of emotion, born from the close bond forged between two families with a long winemaking tradition—an invitation to enjoy a Mediterranean, optimistic and passionate way of life. XF Sierra Cantabria is a statement of intent by Sierra Cantabria and Xandra Falcó, an ode to life and joy, a journey filled with dreams.

Technical sheet:

Winery: Sierra Cantabria

D.O.Ca. La Rioja

Vintage: 2022

Varieties: 35% Garnacha, Sauvignon Blanc (30%), Viura (25%), Maturana (5%) and Tempranillo (5%)

Alcohol: 13.0 % vol.

Tasting note

Salmon-colored, clean and bright. On the nose it offers light aniseed notes and aromas of fresh fruit, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and pomegranate. On the palate it is fresh, fragrant and well balanced, wrapped in fruit and acidity with hints of pomegranate and watermelon. Intense and persistent, with a long, lively finish.

Serving temperature: 7-8º C

Geology and Soil

Integrated viticulture, environmentally respectful, with minimal intervention, perfect adaptation to the terroir and no use of herbicides or systemic products, in harmony with the biorhythms of nature. Organic fertilization.

Winemaking

Maceration: all the white varieties for 2 days, followed by incorporation into the red must 1 week later to remain in contact with the skins for 72 hours. Fermentation: controlled at 16 ºC with native yeast selected from our own vineyards. Stabilization: cold stabilized.

Pairing

At Made in Spain Gourmet, we recommend it with rice dishes and pasta, especially recipes based on fish and seafood. Salmon, in any preparation, is especially suitable in an affinity pairing that is also visual.

XF: a carefully crafted wine

Several tastings were needed to define the wine’s profile, after which Marcos and Miguel Eguren, who know their vineyards inch by inch, selected the vines best suited to the project—those that year after year produce the freshest and most floral grapes. The result is an extraordinary, delicate and elegant wine, with citrus and floral aromas, very rounded on the palate: a hedonistic wine made to be enjoyed.

The vineyards chosen for XF Sierra Cantabria are located on the left bank of the Ebro River, in the municipalities of San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida. This collection of vineyards is worked in an environmentally respectful way, with minimal intervention and in harmony with the biorhythms of the terroir.

For the production of XF Sierra Cantabria, harvesting is carried out exclusively by hand with a rigorous selection of grapes, first in the vineyard and then in the winery using a double sorting table.

This production process gives rise to a limited edition of 15,000 bottles with a blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo, Viura and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

The Purity of the terroir

Five generations of winegrowers with roots in San Vicente de la Sonsierra have woven a long history of understanding between man and vine in order to draw out their greatest virtues, applying every effort needed to convey their expressiveness in singular wines.

Marcos Eguren, leading the winemaking work, and Miguel Eguren, managing the Group as president, head a viticultural project in search of wines that evoke the vineyard, with great versatility and a distinctive personality. Wines that belong to the new classics: wines that endure over time, combining fruit, power and structure with elegance, freshness and subtlety.

Sierra Cantabria, Viñedos Sierra Cantabria, Señorío de San Vicente and Viñedos de Páganos make up their projects in DOCa. Rioja, in addition to their presence in D.O. Toro with the Teso La Monja winery. The family and its wineries enjoy national and international prestige, and have earned distinctions and awards in both spheres.

Rioja Alavesa: the elite of La Rioja wines

Rioja Alavesa is classified as a subzone within the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin. It has 13,500 hectares of vineyards and several hundred wineries, producing an annual average of around 40 million liters of wine.

The area produces especially red wines with specific general characteristics, such as a bright, vivid color, a fine aroma, a fruity flavor and a pleasant palate. These features are due to the area’s clay-limestone soils, which are excellent for allowing the vines to absorb the necessary moisture. The climate and the location of the vineyards behind the Sierra de Toloño, which protects the vines from the cold northern winds and allows them to make better use of the heat, also contribute to their quality.

Red wines are the most representative wines of the region and are made from Tempranillo (around 79% of the total is produced from this grape), Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano varieties.

Young wines, or reds of the year, are mostly made using the traditional carbonic maceration method, in which whole bunches are fermented in a “lagar” for seven to ten days. Once free of skins and stems, they go into vats where fermentation is completed.

Meanwhile, crianza, reserva and gran reserva wines are made using the Bordeaux or destemming method. This consists of crushing the grapes, removing the stems and incubating the must with its solids for seven days. After several fermentations, the wines go into barrels for ageing. The length of time spent in barrel and bottle determines the difference between crianzas, reservas and gran reservas.

Because rosé and white wines are increasingly appreciated both at home and abroad, winemakers and oenologists are working to produce quality wines in these styles, in a commitment to reaching every market.