Producer Profile- Meaning “of height” or "of great respect", deAlto hints at the aspirations of the project and of the quality of what is in the bottle. deAlto craft wines in the best traditions of this classic region but fuse cutting-edge viticultural and winemaking techniques to create a modern interpretation of what they believe to be individual, pure expressions of the Rioja Baja vineyards that they call home. Viticulture- he Tempranillo and Garnacha used for this wine come from the best vineyards around Azagra in Rioja Baja. The vines are predominantly grown on clay-limestone soil, and minimal intervention is practised. Grapes are all hand-picked in early October. Winemaking- Upon reception, the grapes are de-stemmed without rollers to avoid crushing and extraction of harsh tannins from seeds and skins and to allow plenty of whole berries to be retained for varietal expression. The grapes are then fermented in 25 ton stainless steel fermenters using inoculated yeasts to give a fruit driven profile without over extraction. The ferment is kept relatively cool, aided by regular pump-overs and once dryness has been reached, the vat is drained and the skins gently pressed, with press fractions kept separate to avoid over extraction and harsh tannins.Oak Treatment- Time: 6 months; Type: French and American; % oaked: 30; % new oak: None.