Valenciso
Rioja Blanco Barrel Fermented – 2022
Region: Spain - La Rioja
Valenciso
VALENCISO was born in 1998 when Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso (Valen-Ciso, Val-en-THEECE-oh), Rioja natives with extensive experience in the region, joined their surnames to make a single wine in the winery of their dreams in La Rioja Alta.
Minority partners include former managers of Radoux, makers of the finest French oak barriques, and growers in the best areas of the Rioja Alta.
Valenciso’s objective is to produce a limited number of wines of the highest quality and authenticity. The flagship wine is released as Reserva. The very best Tempranillo grapes come from mature, low-yielding vineyards. Careful harvesting is timed to capture the intensity of the fruit, while avoiding over ripeness or excessive alcohol levels. Aromatic lift rather than physical weight – in the manner of French Burgundy and the greatest Riojas of the past – is the Valenciso ideal. Aging takes place in the finest cork-grade (flor) French oak barriques, one-third replaced each year. Time in oak depends upon vintage characteristics and is determined after exhaustive tasting. The Valenciso wines are balanced offering early accessibility, structure, fresh acidity and fruit intensity promising many years of bottle evolution.
Cement tanks are used for winemaking because they respect the vividness and contribute to the wine’s longevity. Aging in French oak barrels gives elegance and richness.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
From Ollauri, Haro and Villalba estate vineyards in the north of Rioja Alta.
- Altitude: 1663-2000 feet/507–610 meters
- Soil: Clay-calcareous, chalky white
- Vineyards benefit from cooling Altantic ocean influence
- Farmed using organic practices
Harvest Notes
- Dry winter, rain in March and April
- Hot and dry May with continuing high temperatures and little rain
- Later August rains and seasonal temperature balanced ripening
- Very early hand harvesting 9/10 – 21/2023
- Varieties fermented separately in lightly toasted oak barrels using only indigenous yeast
- Blended and aged 8 months in barrel
Winemaker's Notes
A subtle nose of stone fruits. Elegant balance between fruit and oak on the palate with a rounded texture. Very fine richness and creaminess evolve on the persistent finish.
Wine Summary
70% Viura, 30% White Grenache, alcohol: 13.5%; very old estate vineyards in Ollauri, Haro Villalba in the north of Rioja Alta between 1663-2000 feet; clay-limestone soils; farmed using organic practices; each variety hand harvested and fermented separately in oak barrels; blended and aged 8 months in barrel.
Technical Information
- 70% Viura, 30% Grenache Blanc
- Alcohol: 13.5%
- Total Acidity: 4.6 g/l
- Extract: 18.4 g/l
Reviews
90 Points
Intense, with lots of oaky aromas and some very ripe white fruit. Generous palate with light spice and wild herbs. Round, opulent texture; broad, rich and powerful. 2024 – 2027
Decanter, February, 2024
93 Points
The slightly darker white 2022 Fermentado en Barrica, produced with a blend of 70% Viura and 30% Garnacha Blanca, was clean, expressive, fresh, varietal and with Rioja typicity but in a more modern way, with spicy and smoky notes from the barrel and mellow freshness. It has 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.47. 2024 – 2028
Valenciso is one of the most reliable medium-size producers (150,000 bottles) from Rioja, combining modernity and tradition. In 2023, they celebrated their 25th anniversary—congratulations! That year, they also finished a project to reduce sulfites in their wines. Since 2017, their vineyards (31 hectares all around Haro and their winery in Ollauri) are organic (but the wines don’t carry certifications for now).
© Wine Advocate, February, 2024
95 Points
Very appealingly priced given its quality and its ability to age in bottle, the latest release of the Valenciso Blanco is one of the best yet. Pairing Viura with 30% Garnacha Blanca, with ageing in Caucasian oak, this is appealingly fresh and understated, showing layers of pear, citrus peel, jasmine and honeysuckle and a hint of beeswax. 2024 – 2030
Tim Atkin MW-timatkin.com, April, 2025
General Info
| COUNTRY | SPAIN |
| REGION | LA RIOJA |
| APPELLATION | D.O.C. RIOJA, SUB APPELLATION Rioja Alta |
| PROPRIETORS | Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso |
| FOUNDED | 1998 |
| WINEMAKER | Luis Valentín and Carmen Enciso |
| ANNUAL PRODUCTION | 9,166 9L cases |
| FARMING (SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC, BIODYNAMIC) | Organically farmed since 2006 – no herbicides, pesticides or insecticides |