Why it matters
The producer
By 1945, Julio Ramírez de la Piscina was cultivating his family's vineyards in the Sonsierra and making traditional Rioja wines, continuing the work of his parents in Ábalos. Bodegas Ramirez was founded in 1973 and began selling bottled wine under that name.
The producer entered international markets in 1990, including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan. A new winery with modern facilities and updated technology followed in 2001. The family remains in control through its fourth generation.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The wines come from the Sonsierra, where Atlantic and Mediterranean influences meet. The area has alluvial and clay-limestone soils and is sheltered by the Sierra de Cantabria.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range covers young carbonic-maceration reds, rosé, white, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva and Selección. Young wines retain primary freshness and fruit, while Crianza adds at least a year in cask and further bottle ageing. Reserva uses selected wines from strong vintages and ages for at least three years, including at least one year in cask.
Ramírez de la Piscina Crianza 2020 is entirely hand-picked Tempranillo. It spends 15 months in 225-litre American and French oak barrels in underground cellars, followed by five months of natural fining and settling before filtration and bottling. Red-fruit aromas meet spicy wood. The palate is structured and spicy, with vanilla, coffee and balanced oak, followed by a long finish.