Alegre & Valgonon Rioja Blanco
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Ancient Traditions A decade or so ago, traditional Rioja seemed to be on the verge of extinction, beaten into submission by the “international” winemaking trend that has swept the region for more than thirty years. But, today, traditional Rioja is making a strong comeback, as connoisseurs come to realize that the sumptuous CUNE Vina Reals and Lopez Tondonias and Bosconias from the 1940s to the 1970s are among the planet’s greatest wine treasures. The recent rise to stardom of the relatively young, but staunchly traditional Hermanos Pecina offers compelling evidence of the world’s growing love affair with Rioja as it was once made. Yet, it’s often forgotten that what we know as “traditional Rioja” is less than 150 years old, having been created in the wake of phylloxera in the late 1800s. Before that, an earlier tradition flourished that featured viticulture and winemaking on a far smaller scale, allowing vine-by-vine attention to fruit quality, the inclusion of stems during fermentation, and shorter time in larger barrels. Since 2014, the husband-wife team of Oscar Alegre and Eva Valganon have embraced this even more ancient tradition. By working strictly with tiny lots, they are turning out head-spinning reds and whites that capture the best of their beloved land’s 1,000+ year history. Their wines are informed by this ancestral wisdom and offer something unique in today’s Rioja landscape. Alegre Valganon Begins The basis of any great wine estate is its vineyards. Many of Oscar's and Eva's family vineyards lie just to the west of Haro in the shadow of the Obarenes Mountains. This area has long been revered for producing freshness and persistence in blends. In fact, one old-timer claimed that the esteemed early Vina Reals were usually a blend of 75% Obarenes Tempranillo with up to 25% Garnacha from Cardenas. Having vineyards in both villages, Oscar and Eva are able to work with similar proportions for their signature tinto. The vineyards are farmed sustainably. In the cellar, Oscar and Eva follow their ancestors and include stems during fermentation to produce wines of greater purity and expressiveness. They choose to minimize the effect of wood and use a mix of aged French barriques and demi-muids. French wood loses its flavoring ability much faster than American oak, so they’ve been able to minimize the flavor impact of the wood. They hope to adopt longer aging and even bigger neutral barrels as the project develops.