Las Cenizas is an affair of the heart for the brothers Eduardo and Victor Hernáiz, as this wine is grown in three plots in the village of Cenicero that have belonged to the Hernáiz family for generations. It is, if you will, the local wine of Hermanos Hernaiz. It is warmer here than at the higher altitudes of the Finca de Emperatriz, so the wine is juicier and more voluminous. Due to the calcareous clay soil, there is also a noticeable finesse here. The grapes from Cenicero are highly valued for their high quality and are well paid for in the large traditional wineries of the region. As a result, many landowners sell their grapes instead of making wine themselves.
The LAS CENIZAS Rioja Tempranillo is brought to the Finca Emperatriz winery by hand after the harvest, chilled so that fermentation does not accidentally start on the journey. This is how you get the clarity and precision in the wine. After fermentation, this delicious Rioja is aged for thirteen months in barriques, 40% French and 60% American oak. Las Cenizas 2020 has a dark ruby red color. The expansive scent is reminiscent of ripe dark berries, plums, vanilla and a little roasted aroma. On the palate, the balance inspires at a high level, the wine is full, lively, animating and, above all, very long in the aftertaste. Very characterful and high class.
