Although the Rioja region has been extensively explored from north to south and from west to east, there are still some insider tips to be discovered. One of these (still) "hidden gems" is the picturesque Castillo de Cuzcurrita winery. The castle is actually an impressive fortress with a monumental tower that was built between the 14th and 15th centuries. In addition to the winery, this imposing castle houses a remarkable collection of contemporary art, once again demonstrating the proximity of art and great wines. The winery is located in a particularly cool corner in the north of the region. Here, the grapes ripen longer than elsewhere in Rioja, meaning that the harvest often lasts into November. This gives the grapes plenty of time to develop their aromas. To further support and promote this process, the number of grapes per vine is reduced even further during ripening. In the end, just half a kilo of grapes are harvested per vine - which is absolutely record-breaking. What's more, the vines are still kept in the traditional bush vine training system, which only produces minimal yields anyway. Only one grape variety is grown in the vineyards of Cuzcurrita, Tempranillo. The wine is vinified in an ultra-modern winery, which was built next to the historic castle in 2005. Here, the must and wine are moved according to modern principles using only gravity. Small tanks as well as concrete barrels and barriques are used for fermentation in order to be able to respond individually to the vintage, the character of the parcel or the must. Maturation takes place in French oak barrels. Even if the 24 hectares might suggest a certain size of the winery, the time-consuming work in the vineyard to minimize yields and the small harvests do not allow the production of larger quantities. The conversion to completely organic cultivation is underway. Anyone who finds bottles from Castillo de Cuzcurrita can look forward to Rioja wines with a very unique and original style. And they have even kept their prices down. However, the few bottles are likely to stand in the way of a high degree of recognition, so you will have to look for them.
