In the world of fine wines, it often happens as it must: when you have been in contact with high-quality wines for many years, you are overcome by the desire to try them yourself. This is what happened in Miguel Merino's life. For years he worked as an export manager for the best addresses in the Rioja region, but then the desire to develop wines according to his own ideas gained the upper hand. 1994 was the big premiere. The bodega is located in Briones in the west of the Rioja Alta sub-region. What sets it apart from others is its size: the vineyards cover just 13 hectares, spread over many parcels with very different terroirs and microclimates. Some of the vines date back to the end of the 19th century, but from the beginning of the 20th century until around 2001, individualistic parcels were also replanted. Today, Miguel Merino works hand in hand with his son of the same name to produce outstanding wines from the small area. All work in the vineyard is carried out by hand, with no machines, herbicides or pesticides being used. The classic Rioja varieties Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano and Garnacha are cultivated, as well as Vuira and Garnacha Gris for the white wines. The grapes are harvested in small crates and then undergo another strict selection process at the winery. From Joven to Crianza to Reserva and Gran Reserva, the wines consist of blends of the typical red wine varieties. However, there is one exception: the "La Quinta Cruz" vineyard is planted exclusively with Mazuelo, which is bottled as a single varietal. At around 45,000 bottles, the quantity produced by Miguel Merino is homeopathic in view of the size of the winery, but the wines are mentioned in the same breath as the greats of Rioja, such as Marques de Murrieta, making them correspondingly difficult to find.
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