El Coto de Rioja 875m Chardonnay

El Coto 875m is a white wine made from the Chardonnay varietal from El Coto de Rioja. Founded in 1970, El Coto de Rioja quickly became one of the most popular wineries in La Rioja. The grapes for El Coto 875m come from La Finca Carbonera, an estate situated at a maximum elevation of 875 meters above sea level. The vineyard is situated on a gentle slope with a large accumulation of stones that helps keep the grapes healthy and promote their ripening.

The success story of El Coto de Rioja

El Coto is a highly successful company. They have over 700 hectares of vineyards spread across seven different locations. This allows the winemakers to obtain an optimal diversity of grapes. It all began with a group of winegrowers who initially sold their harvest to larger wineries. They preferred to make their own wine, especially since their harvest was phenomenal. From this, the exceptionally large winery in the Rioja region was born. Since then, many winegrowers have joined El Coto, and the company has invested primarily in improving the vineyards and winemaking techniques. In 2017, El Coto de Rioja opened the winery at its Finca Carbonera to vinify the white varietals it grows there.

Vinification of El Coto de Rioja 875m Chardonnay

To produce El Coto 875m, the grapes are destemmed and cold-soaked. They are then gently pressed. During pre-fermentation, the grapes are protected from oxygen to prevent oxidation and microbial attack. Fermentation takes place at 16°C (60°F) to extract and preserve the varietal's fruity aromas. The wine is then placed in unroasted barrels to prevent toasted aromas from penetrating the final wine, fully respecting the Chardonnay's typical character. At the end of fermentation, the wine remains in contact with the lees, and periodic battonages are performed, during which the lees are stirred, to give the wine complexity, smoothness, and creaminess. El Coto 875m is a complex and interesting wine that combines fruit and tropical aromas with vanilla and creaminess.