SPAIN – RIBERA DEL DUERO
Situated in the Soria town of the Atautavalley, Dominio de Atauta is, among Pingus, Vega Sicilia and Dominio del Aguila one of the greatest estate in this area.
The vineyard (the youngest vines are 85 years old while the oldest are prephylloxeric) is located in a area of extreme conditions, both for the altitude at which it is located (1000 meters above the sea level) and for a climate with little rainfall and large temperature fluctuations. Due to the high age of the vines, the poor and shallow soils and the extremely careful work of the vineyard, the yields range from 1000 to 2500 kilos of grapes per hectare. While not certified, they do an organic and biodynamic viticulture.
The human factor is added to all the factors that define the “terroir” (climate, soils, variety and age of the vineyards). It is a key factor in the production of Dominio de Atauta wines.
Ismael Sanz, as head of viticulture, and Jaime Suárez, as head of oenology, make a perfect tandem in the whole winemaking process, from the vineyard to the winery. Both, closely linked to the D.O.Ribera del Duero since its origins, have an enormous passion for their work that translates into care and maximum demand at every stage of the winemaking process.
The predominant variety is Tinto Fino, which is how the Tempranillo is known in Ribera del Duero. Dominio de Atauta manages over 500 plots of land in the valley, where only environment-friendly organic products are used for growing wine and where the work is carried out using the most sustainable methods available. Albillo mayor is used in their unique white wine.
The different cuvées :
PARADA DE ATAUTA
This wine wants to show the finesse, concentration and complexity of the grapes and vineyards of the area. Parada de Atauta is far from being Dominio de Atauta’s second wine, it is a completely different concept, friendly, affordable and understandable for everyone. The wine is made from a selection of very old vineyards located around the Atauta Valley, mainly sandy with cobbles, since they are warmer, providing better ripening and greater fruit intensity.
DOMINIO DE ATAUTA
Dominio de Atauta is the wine that gives its name to the winery. It is made from a blend of pre-phylloxera vineyards between 120 and 160 years old. Located exclusively in the Atauta Valley. The soil compositions are diverse, ranging from calcareous sandy,sandy loam, clayey and cobble, all of them on a bed of limestone, which makes a wine with a very marked personality with a completely original expression of the Tinto Fino de Ribera del Duero.
DOMINIO DE ATAUTA ALBILLO MAYOR
This Dominio de Atauta “Albillo Mayor Prephylloxera Vines”, is the search for the needle in the haystack. White grape varieties among a sea of reds, one by one. It was a challenge that the valley presented us, and we could not miss the opportunity. Having grapes from vines that in many cases are over 140 years old is a privilege and we had to take advantage of it. It is a wine that has the character of the Atauta Valley, fresh and chalky.
The presence of an extensive diversity of soils, altitudes, depths… requires daily work that has led the winemaker to identify 25 different terroirs. Experience has shown that some of them can offer outstanding quality and an unique personality. That’s why, in addition to the 3 entry-level cuvées, five sites in the valley that meet these two requirements have been used to make five different wines that try to show the different personalities that each terroir in the Atauta Valley can offer. These are the single vineyards collection. Only between 500 and 1500 btles per year. Real rarities !
LA MALA
It has a depth of only 0.7m to the limestone. The soil is sandy on the surface with a thin layer of clay on top of the limestone. Due to the shallow soil depth, yields are very low.These low yields of each vine, together with the special soil features, make one of the most interesting wines.
VALDEGATILES
It is the deepest soil of the five single vineyards (1.6m to the limestone rock), as well as being the richest in clay. The composition and depth of the Valdegatiles soils make the wine more structured and powerful.
LLANOS DEL ALMENDRO
The Llanos del Almendro soil is sandy with cobbles on the surface and sandy loam at depth. It is the poorest soil due to the amount of sand and the shallow depth (1.2m to the limestone) . The poor soil, together with the higher temperature that these soils accumulate, makes the grapes ripen more slowly, providing a greater complexity of aromas and flavors.
LA ROZA
La Roza is located in a garrigue and holm forest glade over a terrace that extends the AtautaValley from the east.This single vineyard is located at an altitude of 965 meters which makes it one of the highest-altitude vineyards in the Ribera del Duero appellation. The 2.29 hectares of the La Roza vineyard are divided in 19 different parcels. Three of these parcels, 0.24 hectares and 689 vines, stand out for their exceptional quality. From these three parcels the grapes of Dominiode Atautala Roza are sourced… The 1 meter of red clay that follows before the roots of the vine reach the slightly decomposed calcareous rock bed provides a subtle freshness and structure that becomes eternal on.
SAN JUAN
San Juan area covers 0.45 hectares distributed into 7 parcels and a total of 1.415vines.
It is located 950 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest vineyards in the entire valley and the D.O.Ribera del Duero (as La Roza vineyard).San Juan has one of the poorest soils, if not the poorest in the Atauta Valley. With only 1.2 meters of sand and a low percentage of clay and limestone, the plant has to root in the microcracks of the calcareous rock bed for its nutrients. Oenologically, this poor sand will create extremely elegant wines with subtle and delicate tannins..
The wines critics, as you can see on this link, have given year by year very positive tasting notes to the wines of Dominio de Atauta !
Other informations about Dominio de Atauta here (PDF)
