Ingenium Pet Nat Tinto 2023

Vinedos Ruiz Jimenez the result of a dream come true when in 1998, Francisco Ruiz, decided to build his own winery to use the grapes he was growing, instead of selling them. All the vineyards are organically farmed in the small village of Aldeanueva de Ebro in Rioja. The idea was to offer the best quality, most terroir expressive wines that the land has to offer using only organic and sustainable parameters. This was quite a rare idea in Rioja back in 1998 but he knew that organic and biodynamic was the only way to give quality and terroir to the wines. Today they are the only organic and Demeter certified winery in Rioja. Winemaking Detail: The grapes are hand harvested and arrive at the winery within 4 hours, crushed and taken to INOX. 5x battonage that same day and then wait for the skins to settle. They then take the wine into another tank. As soon as they see the fermentation begin, it's bottled with a mild filtration, and then crown capped. The bottles are then put into a dark bottle container for upto 5 months until the fermentation ends, leaving a fun sparkling red wine. No sulphites added, no sugar added.

The grapes are hand harvested and arrive at the winery within 4 hours, crushed and taken to INOX. 5x battonage that same day and then wait for the skins to settle. They then take the wine into another tank. As soon as they see the fermentation begin, it's bottled with a mild filtration, and then crown capped. The bottles are then put into a dark bottle container for upto 5 months until the fermentation ends, leaving a fun sparkling red wine. No sulphites added, no sugar added.

Hand selected berries and an extended cool maceration lead to a vivid dark cherry colour. Sweet, ripe cherry & blackberry notes on the nose and the palate. Soft bubbles; slight hint of liqourice & a touch of residual sugar to balance the acidity with some sweetness.

BBQ Chicken, Breaded cod, Caeser salad

Rioja is arguably the best known wine region the world, and especially in the UK where year on year we buy about a third of their total global export. The c.600 winery-strong region, set across the communities of La Rioja, Navarre, and the Basque province of Álava is the spiritual home of Tempranillo. At c.140km from the North coast it benefits from a real continental climate. Moderated by the Cantabiran mountains to the north the best sites, at 400-800m, are in the subregions of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Whites are made from Viura but these days Rioja is over 85% red. Oak aging (and choice of oak) plays a huge role, with wines made Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva all having their own distinctive styles and fans.