Who makes it
El Coto de Rioja describes itself as Rioja's largest winegrower, with 730 hectares of owned vineyards. Its range includes Tempranillo reds, El Coto Crianza Organic, and El Coto Blanco, a white blend of Viura, Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc.
All of the producer's red wines are aged in oak barrels. Oak ageing allows gradual oxygen contact and can bring vanilla, toast, spice and softer texture over time. César Fernández is technical director, with Cosme De La Rica, Javier Fernández and Susana Rodríguez as oenologists.
Where it grows
El Coto's holdings comprise eight individual vineyards spread across Rioja's subzones. The producer's facilities and registered address are in Oyón, Álava, while the vineyard range extends across several parts of the denomination.
El Coto Blanco connects the range to a named vineyard source, Finca Carbonera. The white wine comes from this property, while the red range uses Tempranillo and oak ageing.
How it is made
The cellar
Vinification takes place in tanks no larger than 50,000 litres. Smaller vessels give the cellar more control over each fermentation because a limited volume can be managed as one unit.
The producer ages all red wines in oak barrels. Oak permits gradual oxygen contact during maturation and can add vanilla, toast and spice while changing the texture of the wine.
What they make
The red range begins with El Coto Crianza, made from Tempranillo and aged for at least 12 months in 225 litre American oak barrels, followed by at least six months in bottle.
Coto de Imaz Reserva is also made from Tempranillo. It spends 18 months in 225 litre American oak barrels and at least another 18 months in bottle. Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva is identified as Tempranillo and receives at least 24 months in American and French oak, followed by at least 36 months of bottle refinement.
Wines to try
First bottle
Open with El Coto Crianza. It sits before Coto de Imaz Reserva and Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva in the named Tempranillo red range, so the longer ageing programmes of the two Coto de Imaz wines can be understood as later stages.