Tempranillo Crianza – D.O. Uclés: Castilla-La Mancha is huge! 15% of the Spanish territory, larger than Ireland and slightly smaller than Austria.
A vast plateau at altitudes between 500 to 1,000 meters, with a generally dry, continental climate: very hot summers, cold winters, and little rain.
The soils are often poor and rocky (which paradoxically is good for making wine — vines have to struggle, producing more concentrated grapes). Yet, Castilla-La Mancha is often called the ‘wine lake’ of Europe because it has the largest vineyard area of any region in the world — nearly half of Spain’s total vineyard area is here.
Since the turn of the century there’s been a serious quality revolution with investment in modern wineries, adoption of international grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay), although Tempranillo remains king”, and focus on controlled designations of origin (DOs) aiming to showcase terroir.
Uclés is one of the newer DOs in Castilla-La Mancha, officially recognized in 2006. Located in North-central part of Castilla-La Mancha, mainly in the province of Cuenca (and part of Toledo). Its climate is a little cooler than much of the region because of the higher altitudes (around 700–1,200 meters) helping to moderate the heat and give fresher, more structured wines.
Uclés was set up with a strong quality control system: vines must be a minimum age (6 to 15 years, depending on the category), and yields are tightly limited to encourage concentration and quality. Uclés’ reds tend to be fruit-driven, elegant, and fresh, with the best examples offering good aging potential thanks to natural acidity and structure.
Finca La Estacada was established in 2001 by the Cantarero Rodríguez family, a estate spans approximately 278 hectares of vineyards, primarily Tempranillo grapes, with vines averaging 25 years in age.
Our wine is 100% tempranillo, with aged for 12 months in American oak barrels (there is also a version aged for only 6 months).
The wine is deep cherry red with violet hues, reflecting its youth and vibrancy. The nose is intense with concentrated aromas of ripe blackberries and plums, complemented by spicy hints. The palate is voluminous with well-balanced tannins and acidity, flavours of dark fruits and toasty notes from oak aging. A harmonious blend of fruit and oak, making it a delightful choice for various occasions.
Serve at 16-18ºC with tapas and more tapas and mature hard cheeses
88-90 Bruja points.
EUR 6.95 online from https://privateceller.es/ EUR €6.45 at https://marianomadrueno.es/
(Feature: Wine)
Keywords: Finca La Estacada, Tempranillo, Úcles, Castilla-La Mancha, Wine Lake, D.O.
feature, wine, finca la estacada, tempranillo, úcles, castilla-la mancha, wine lake, d.o.