This Rioja really impressed us, and felt much lighter than the alcohol weight suggests. Both powerful and elegant. Mild spice, blackberry, cherry, apple, hint of tobacco. Fantastic.
Official info
Production: 4.600 bottles
Vineyards
A vineyard of 3ha located in Cárdenas (Rioja Alta) at 580 metres altitude, dating back to 1903. It has an iron-rich clay soil with over 10% of rocks and gives low yields of 2000 kg per hectare. The various parcels this vineyard is comprised of show small differences which add to the complexity of the wine.
Winemaking
Fermentation takes place in 500 litre used French oak barrels and concrete egg, using indigenous yeasts. The wine ages for approximately 12 months in 500 litre French oak barrels and concrete egg, and is then bottled unfiltered.
Character (taken from producer)
Suzzane is a very elegant wine. The seductive velvet texture is balanced by juicy acidity and softly gripping tannins. Flavours of red cherry, bramble and plum, sweet spicy flavours such as cinnamon and cacao, tobacco and violets. All leading to a concentrated and complex aftertaste.
What ́s in a name
Suzzane refers to Leonard Cohen ́s song Suzanne and is an ode to women. The back label cites Eduardo Galeano: “I crack this egg and woman and man are born. And together they will live and die. But they are born again. They will be born and die and come into rise again. And will never stop being born because death is a lie.”
