The brand Viñedos Sierra Cantabria incorporates all the Eguren family labels originating form vineyards or specific plots of land that used to be part of Sierra Cantabria. This group includes some of its most iconic labels such as Amancio, El Bosque and Sierra Cantabria Colección Privada, along with Organza white and Sierra Cantabria Cuvée red.
This new concept follows an ambitious project to build a hilltop winery in the style of the XIX Rioja constructions, with cellars cut into the rock and the remaining stone used to build the premises on the surface. Despite the use of modern technology to carry out the works, the process is extremely slow and is planned on different stages of development.
Back on the wine front, the Organza barrel aged white (€14) is one of the great unknowns in the Eguren family. Made from a high percentage of Malvasia (25%) and Garnacha Blanca, along with the customary Viura, it shows good evolution in the bottle. Winemaker Marcos Eguren likes to uncork old vintages to surprise his guests.
For the reds, Tempranillo is the only variety they work with. Sierra Cantabria Colección Privada (€30) is partly produced (50%) following the carbonic maceration method of fermenting whole bunches. El Bosque and Amancio (each about €80 in Spain) undergo laborious manual destemming and traditional foot treading. The second wine is vigorous, powerful and ripe, of the kind that completely fills the palate. El Bosque, which comes from vineyards of barely one and a half hectares, usually displays a marked mineral expression, with concentrated fruit (essence) but fresh and vibrant.
The Eguren group also includes the wineries Sierra Cantabria, Señorío de San Vicente and Viñedos de Páganos in Rioja; Teso La Monja in Toro; and Dominio de Eguren, which produces wine under the VT Castilla category.
