Antonio 2016/2021

 The Proensa Guide awards 100 points to Amancio 2016

21 wines from Viñedos y Bodegas Sierra Cantabria obtained more than 90 points in the Proensa Guide 2020.

In this edition, the Proensa Guide 2020 welcomes yet another year of new vintages of the Eguren family's wines with high scores, with fourteen wines above 95 points. On the podium is Amancio 2016, which in this edition of the guide revalidates the highest rating of 100 points that it also achieved in the 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 vintages. An emblematic wine of the family made with Tempranillo from the La Veguilla vineyard and it was named after its great-grandfather and first generation.

They are followed closely with 99 points by Teso La Monja 2016, Alabaster 2017 from the winery Teso La Monja (DO Toro), La Nieta 2017 belonging to Viñedos de Páganos (DOCa Rioja), Finca El Bosque 2017 from Viñedos Sierra Cantabria (DOCa Rioja ) and San Vicente 2016 (DOC a Rioja) produced by Señorío de San Vicente.

The new jewel of the Eguren family Sierra Cantabria Mágico 2016 from Viñedos Sierra Cantabria (DOCa Rioja) scores 98 points. It was born from a small vineyard El Vardallo planted after the phylloxera at the beginning of the 20th century with a great varietal diversity, both red and white. Among Among the red varieties we find 65% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 2.5% Graciano, 1% Petit Bouschet and 1.1% other varieties. Among the white varieties we have 4.4% Calagraño, 3.2% Turruntés and 2. 8% Viura.

With the same score, Victorino 2017 belonging to the Teso La Monja winery (DO Toro) is among the highest rated. Sierra Cantabria Second Edition also tops the ranking with 97 points. This wine comes from the 1.49-hectare San Pelayo estate, located in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, on the slopes of the new Viñedos Sierra Cantabria winery, planted in 1960 (100% Tempranillo).

Sierra Cantabria CVC Second Edition is the union of the three vintages 2006, 2008 and 2011.

It follows with 97 points El Puntido 2016 from Viñedos de Páganos (DOCa Rioja) and Sierra Cantabria Colección Privada 2017 from Viñedos Sierra Cantabria (DOCa Rioja).

Amâncio red is one of the most recent stars of the Sierra Cantabria. It is made by the Eguren brothers (Viñedos de Páganos, Sierra Cantabria, San Vicente, Teso La Monja) from Tempranillo vines that grow on the 15-hectare La Veguilla estate, with exceptional qualities. It is a "super expressive" Rioja, with firm tannins and a very fleshy, broad, full and persistent texture. A long-maturing red, to enjoy with the best red meats.

Among its most prestigious properties is La Veguilla, a 10-hectare estate with an abundance of rocky areas, planted with Tempranillo and a small proportion of Viura and Malvasia. After a careful selection of its vines, which naturally produce only 2 or 3 bunches, a handcrafted harvest and meticulous ageing, the prestigious Amâncio is obtained.

In turn, another important property for the winery, El Bosque, is planted with the Tempranillo variety and has an area of ​​1.5 hectares of clay-sandy soil with a great abundance of pebbles and traces of alluvium.

Traditional viticulture is based on the culture of their ancestors and respects the environment, but updated and improved with current techniques. This is distinguished by the total absence of insecticides and herbicides, the use of copper and sulfur, and organic fertilization, making the presence of native flora and fauna common in their vineyards. With the premise of obtaining great wines from single vineyards, the Eguren brothers began to work hard on the estates La Llana, Los Terreros, Jararte, El Bosque and La Veguilla, from which charismatic wines such as Sierra Cantabria Cuvée, Sierra Cantabria Organza, Sierra Cantabria Private Collection, Finca El Bosque and Amancio are produced. These wines are the result of the most meticulous selection of bunches, in many cases destemmed by hand and crushed in the traditional way to obtain the smoothest extraction.

In some trellised vineyards, the harvest is carried out selectively by hand, selecting the best fruits and eliminating any bunches that are not in perfect ripening conditions, using boxes of just 20 kilos.

In the case of Finca El Bosque y Amancio, once the bunches arrive at the winery, they are manually destemmed and each fruit is analysed, grain by grain, to select the best berries. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks and malolactic fermentation in steel tanks, or in oak barrels in the case of high-end wines, complete the process before ageing.