El Coto Rioja Crianza is an intense ruby-red Spanish wine with aromas of red fruits, vanilla, and toast. On the palate, the wine is well-balanced, featuring a silky texture, red berry fruit, and sweet spicy notes from the oak aging. Complex, juicy, and long-lasting, this Crianza pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes, from meats to fish to cheese and Iberian hams. Serve at 16-18°C for best results.

El Coto Rioja Crianza is also currently available by the glass in The Wine Press, Dundee's finest Wine Bar.

About the Producer

El Coto was founded in 1970 in Rioja Alavesa and has grown from modest beginnings into one of the best known of Rioja producers. Its first bottling was released in 1975.

Today, El Coto has over 700 hectares of vineyard in production across the three Rioja DOCa sub-zones of Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. El Coto is the leading quality brand in Rioja and among the top-selling Spanish wines in Europe.

El Coto is the largest vineyard owner in the Rioja region which provides a tremendous ability to control the quality of the grapes which go into their wines.  Most of the fruit used is sourced from their own sites.  Their outstanding Red wines  are made with grapes picked primarily in the heart of Rioja Alta at their own estate at Cenicero.  An increased focus on sustainability, in both the winery and the vineyard, includes the use of cover crops and preventative pest management.  They are not just stopping at sustainable agriculture either, currently El Coto are in the process of converting around 40 hectares of vineyards in Los Almendros.

Vineyard and Winery

The grapes for this wine were sourced mainly from Rioja Alavesa (65%) with some from Rioja Alta (25%) and Rioja Oriental (10%). The vineyards are old and divided into small parcels, of limestone and clay soils.

The Tempranillo grapes were fermented in the winery at Oyón, in stainless-steel, temperature-controlled tanks at 20-26ºC over a period of 20-25 days. Once fermentation was complete, malolactic fermentation occurred. The wine was then aged for a minimum of 12 months in 225L American oak barrels and a further six months in bottle before release. This extra six months in bottle isn't required by law, however El Coto feel it enhances both the flavours and style of the wine.