Álvaro Loza 'Contacto' Blanco

The Viura for this 100% skin contact white Rioja was grown in a single 10 acre, south facing plot in Elciego. The vineyard is mostly planted to Tempranillo, but with Viura planted on the higher elevated end of the vine rows. 

The fruit is harvested by hand directly to food-grade plastic barrels, where it ferments whole-cluster for 15 days in contact with the skins and the stems. Contacto is then racked to 8 year old French oak barrels of 220 and 350 liters for one year. One of the barrels developed a layer of flor. It is then bottled without fining, filtration, nor additional sulfur.

Flor refers to film forming yeasts that grow on top of some sherries, preventing oxidization while still capable of fermenting the wine. The yeasts will only form in the narrow alcoholic range of 14.5% to 16%, and cannot be grown in stainless steel tanks. 

Viura [vee-oo-rah] is the same variety as Macabeo. 

Learn more about Álvaro Loza here.