LOPEZ CRISTOBAL VIRACOCHA 2019

Description

Viracocha 2019 is the most exclusive, personal and ambitious wine from Bodegas López Cristóbal — a single-plot project that represents the pinnacle of everything this family winery in Roa de Duero (Burgos) has learned over generations. A production so limited it borders on artisanal: just 925 bottles worldwide.

Made with 100% Tinta del País (Tempranillo) grapes sourced exclusively from the Pago de Machín, a century-old vineyard with 80-year-old vines planted in traditional containers in the municipality of Pedrosa de Duero (Burgos), at an altitude of 840 meters on sandy-limestone soils with a clay subsoil. The vineyard is part of the Finca La Linde, the winery's most emblematic vineyard, but the Pago de Machín plot is its oldest and most expressive heart. The age of the vines, the limestone soils and the extreme altitude come together to produce grapes of extraordinary concentration and complexity with minimal yields.

The winemaking is entirely artisanal and low-intervention, reviving the most traditional techniques of the Ribera del Duero: manual harvesting in fruit boxes followed by sorting on a selection table. Hand destemming. Open fermentation with whole, uncrushed grapes — that is, intracellular fermentation to preserve the freshness and primary aromas of the fruit. Gentle maceration, without over-extraction. And the oldest technique of all: traditional foot-treading, following the ancestral methods of the region. Aging takes place for 15 months in two new French oak barrels — one 500-liter and the other 228 liters — followed by 24 months of bottle aging before release.

Of a deep red color. On the nose, complex and elegant, changing and revealing its nuances once the bottle is opened: a wide range of masterfully integrated toasted notes with fruit that is surprisingly fresh and deep at the same time. On the palate, it is fresh and silky, with its harmony and balance standing out above all: sweet, rounded and perfectly integrated tannins. A wine with great aging potential in the bottle for many years.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C. Decant before serving. Ideal for grilled red meats, game, roast lamb and truly special occasions.