Bodegas Aalto

The Story of Bodegas Aalto

Bodegas Aalto was founded in 1999 in the Ribera del Duero region by the two renowned winemakers Mariano García and Javier Zaccagnini. This partnership between two iconic figures in the Spanish wine world immediately became a success. Especially Garcia, who had previously worked at the legendary Vega Sicilia winery, brought unique experience and understanding of wine production to the project.

Wines and Production Methods

Bodegas Aalto is known for its careful and traditional approach to wine production. Tempranillo grapes are harvested by hand and meticulously selected to ensure that only the best grapes are used for the production of Aalto's wines. Fermentation occurs naturally, without the use of artificial yeast strains, and the wine is then aged in carefully selected oak barrels to develop its complexity.

The winery has succeeded in creating wines with power, yet with a structure and finesse that impressively showcase new facets of the depth and complexity of the Ribera del Duero region.

Today, Bodegas Aalto has established itself as one of Ribera del Duero's most significant wine producers with an annual production of around 350,000 bottles.

Aalto

Aalto is an opulent and powerful wine that showcases the depth of Tempranillo from the best vineyards in the area. The wine undergoes careful vinification and maturation in French and American oak barrels, creating a wine with a fantastic balance of fruit, spicy notes, depth, and tannin structure.

Tasting Profile of Aalto:

• Deep and Concentrated: Aalto is known for its depth and concentration. The wine has an intense dark color and a rich, full flavor characteristic of high-quality Tempranillo.

• Dark Berries: The tasting profile typically includes notes of ripe dark berries such as blueberries, blackberries, and black cherries. These fruity nuances contribute to the wine's juiciness and complexity.

• Spicy and Earthy: It is also common to find subtle spicy and earthy undertones in the wine, adding an extra dimension to the tasting experience. This may include notes of black pepper, licorice, or mineral elements.

• Barrel Aging: The wine matures in oak barrels, imparting lightly toasted tones of vanilla and smoke, contributing to the wine's complex taste and aroma.

• Well-Balanced Tannins: The wine typically has well-balanced tannins, providing the wine with a solid structure and a smooth, long finish.

• Full Mouthfeel: The wine has a full-bodied feel in the mouth, highlighting its great concentration and depth.

• Long Finish: Aalto has an impressively long finish that leaves pleasant and lasting impressions on the palate. It just goes on and on. Mmmm.

Aalto PS (Pagos Seleccionados)

This wine is composed of selected vineyards and represents the best of Bodegas Aalto. It is made from grapes from the oldest vines and is characterized by extraordinary concentration and complexity.

Bodegas Aalto typically produces around 60,000 bottles of Aalto PS annually. However, this can vary from year to year depending on factors such as weather, yield, and other production-related conditions. It's worth noting that Aalto PS is the winery's most prestigious wine.

Tasting Profile of Aalto PS:

• Fruity Intensity: Aalto PS has a wealth of juicy fruit notes. You can expect deep and concentrated tasting experiences of ripe dark berries such as blueberries and blackberries.

• Spicy Complexity: The wine may have subtle spicy undertones, such as black pepper, licorice, or spices from barrel aging.

• Vanilla and Toasted Notes: Aalto PS matures in oak barrels for 18 to 20 months. The long barrel aging contributes to the wine's complexity, structure, and adds characteristic flavor notes, including vanilla. This helps create a deeper and more well-developed taste profile in Aalto PS.

• Silky Tannins: Aalto PS is known for its rounded, silky tannins, providing the wine with a pleasant structure and a long, smooth finish.

• Good Balance and Fullness: Aalto PS manages to find a fine balance between its fullness and fruity, spicy, and structural elements.

• Long Finish: Aalto PS has an impressively long finish that leaves a significant impression on the palate.