Luis Canas Rioja Reserva

In 1970 Luis Cañas changed two hundred years of tradition and became the first winemaker in Rioja Alavesa to bottle his young wine rather than sell it as bulk.

This bold move, and his continued pioneering spirit, has cemented the winery's enviable reputation as one of the most progressive in the region. Sheltered below the watchful Sierra Cantabria, the vineyards are all old, small plots on chalky-clay soils with a dedicated team of vineyard workers carrying out organic practices and a purpose built, fully equipped accommodation block was built for the entire vineyard team in 2006.

Juan Luis Cañas is now the powerhouse behind this highly accomplished winery, but everywhere you go there is a feeling of family, and especially of the lasting legacy that Luis Cañas has left for both his son and the Rioja Alavesa since his passing in December 2019. With 350 hectares of outstanding vineyards, split across 870 different plots, the viticultural department control every aspect. Each of the plots has its own personality and is categorised and used for different wines according to its characteristics.

Upon entering the bodega and passing the selection table, the grapes are de-stemmed and crushed before undergoing fermentation and then maceration in small stainless steel tanks for a total of 20 days at controlled temperatures, obtaining better colour extraction as well as much more complex wines, suitable for prolonged ageing. The wine is clarified and followed by amicrobic filtration. The malolactic fermentation is carried out in the deposits too. The wine is placed in American and French oak barrels for a minimum of 12 months ageing. It is then bottled an aged for a further 12 months minimum.