Wines produced
MACAN CLASICO RIOJA RESERVA (RED)
MACAN RIOJA RESERVA (RED)
Winery presentation
Owner / winemaker
Tempos Vega Sicilia Group and Benjamin de Rothschild
Region
Rioja
Appellation
Rioja
Presentation
It took five years for Benjamin de Rothschild, Ariane de Rothschild and Pablo Álvarez to create the vineyard of their dreams from the original concept to the first harvest of Macán in 2009, with the discreet but steady acquisition of multiple vineyard plots from smallholder farmers. In this way, they quietly built up what is now a sizeable holding of 120 hectares, all within 10 km of the village of San Vicente in the Rioja Alta. In the true style of Vega Sicilia, their purchases concentrated on the very best ‘terroir’, with stony calcareous clay soils, complex warm and cool mesoclimatic influences, and deep-rooted Tempranillo vines of 25 to 80 years in age.
MACAN is the name chosen for the wines, derived from a traditional name for the people of this sub-region of Rioja. Each year, they produce two wines, MACAN and MACAN CLASICO, a first and a second wine following the Bordeaux tradition of classification by tasting the different lots and bottling a first wine with more potential and a second wine more expressive and approachable when young. This is perhaps the most notable influence of the Rothschild family on the project, because otherwise all viticulture and winemaking is in the hands of the Vega Sicilia team.
The style of the wines is certainly not ‘traditional’ Rioja – after trials, they decided against American oak – but the style is not ultra modern either. Perhaps the term Neo-Classical is most apt, with complex mineral-infused fruit and discreet oak influences, underpinned by a fine but firm structure. These are definitely “fine wines” in the grand European tradition.
Wines produced
MACAN CLASICO RIOJA RESERVA (RED)
MACAN RIOJA RESERVA (RED)
Grape varieties planted
Tempranillo
Grenache
Graciano
Size of Vineyard
120 hectares total, composed of multiple small plots.
Average age of the vines
Average age of vines is 34 years old
Location
Located in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria, across San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Labastida, Ábalos and Elvillar.
Soils
.Macán’s vineyards grow on stony calcareous clay soils, offering excellent drainage and structure, contributing to the depth, elegance, and refined texture of its wines.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Non-certified organic.
Macán is farmed organically, with an obsessive focus on quality. Yields are limited to 3,000 kg/ha, well below the regional average of 6,000–7,000 kg/ha. Grapes are hand-harvested into shallow 12‑kg crates to prevent damage on the short journey to the winery. After gentle crushing, the must undergoes a 2-day pre-fermentation maceration in a combination of wooden and stainless steel vats, followed by a cuvaison at 28°C lasting around 15 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs partially in barrel (30–50%) and the remainder in tank. Wines are aged 12–15 months in extra-fine grain French oak barrels, then selected for first and second wines before blending. Finally, the wines rest for a further two years in bottle to harmonize and develop complexity prior to release. The meticulous vineyard and cellar practices ensure precision, depth, and elegance characteristic of Macán’s style.
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