Valenciso
Rioja Selección Especial – 2020
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, Briones, Rodezno, Haro and Villalba estate vineyards in the north of Rioja Alta.
- Altitude: 1633-2000 feet/507–610 meters
- Soil: Clay-calcareous, chalky white
- Vineyards benefit from cooling Altantic ocean influence
- Sustainably farmed following organic principles
Harvest Notes
- Mild, rainy winter followed by warm, wet spring
- Careful vineyard management
- Lower yields
- Hand harvested September 22 – October 7, 2020
- Fermented in concrete tanks using only indigenous yeast
- Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in tank in February 2021
- Aged 18 months in French oak barrels
- Returned to concrete for 12 additional months aging and settling
- Bottled without filtration
Winemaker's Notes
Elegant, fragrant and persistent, this wine achieves a fine balance between fresh fruit and mineral-spice. Lively and fresh, the finish is long and smooth.
Wine Summary
100% Tempranillo; alcohol: 14.5%; Ollauri, Briones, Rodezno, Haro and Villalba estate vineyards in the north of Rioja Alta between 1663–2000 feet; clay-calcareous soil; hand harvested September 22-October 7, 2020; fermented in concrete vats using only indigenous yeasts; spontaneous malolactic fermentation in concrete; aged 18 months in 100% French oak; wine transferred to concrete for 12 months to further age and settle before bottling; vegan friendly.
Technical Information
- 100% Tempranillo
- Alcohol: 14.5%
Reviews
93 Points
Good depth on the nose, with dark olives, iron and fresh dark plums. Juicy and firm, with good intensity, firm, fine-grained tannins and a long finish. Fresh and tensioned. Drink or hold.
jamessuckling.com, September, 2025
91 Points
The 2020 Reserva Valenciso from Rioja Alta was aged for 18 months in oak. The first wine produced by winemaker José Hernández, it opens with pure red fruit aromas and a touch of white pepper. Juicy with active tannins, medium volume and a slight sense of tension, this is a direct, fruit-driven style. 2025 – 2040
Vinous, May, 2025
93 Points
The 2020 Reserva, which could be labeled Selección Especial in some markets, reflects the house style, which is somewhere between tradition and modernity, keeping the character and typicity with good ripeness, controlled extraction, a certain elegance and integrated oak. It’s elegant, perfumed and floral, quite showy, more developed and complex this time, medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a polished palate. It doesn’t lack ripeness—it has 14.5% alcohol—but it keeps the balance and poise with integrated acidity and a soft texture. It matured in French oak barrels, one-third new, for 19 months and then spent a further 12 months in concrete until bottling. It’s harmonious and balanced, with power and elegance. 80,000 bottles were produced in January 2024. 2024 – 2034
© Wine Advocate, March, 2026
92 Points
Perfumed, smoky Oolong tea hovers over juicy cherry, sage, thyme, rosemary oil and green olive tapenade. On the mid palate, thick-skinned plum bursts to refreshing blood orange juice. Spicy rim of allspice, pink pepper and cardamom. 2026 – 2030
Decanter, April, 2026
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 |