Enrique Mendoza Santa Rosa Reserva 2012

Intense ruby-red in color, Santa Rosa Reserva offers layered aromas of wild blackberries, graphite, smoke and forest floor. On the palate, these notes are intertwined with hints of sweet spice and violets, and structurally it manages to show both a powerful and elegant sides as it unfolds into a long silky finish.Natural farming is prioritized at Enrique Mendoza. Indigenous yeasts are used, and insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers are avoided in favor of biodynamic practices. Pepe also emphasizes placing his vines under the optimal level of hydric stress to produce small, concentrated grapes; he uses computerized sensors to monitors moisture levels in the vineyard, adjusting irrigation accordingly. Jose (Pepe) Enrique Mendoza Gracia has been participating in wine production from a young age, helping with harvest and grape pressing (using a 300-year-old, Roman-style wine press) at Bodegas Enrique Mendoza. After declaring his vocation of oenology in secondary school, Pepe continued his studies at the Felix Jimenez de Requena School of Viticulture and Enology, and carried out his practicum with the Raimat and Masia Bach group. He was the first Spanish winemaker to work in New Zealand, where he worked Grove Mill in Marlborough Valley. He later worked in Argentina with Altavista and Achaval-Ferrer. In 1990, Pepe returned to Spain to manage Bodegas Enrique Mendoza with the help of his brother, Julian. Now a part of a new generation of winegrowers, Pepe”s fundamental objective at Enrique Mendoza is to attain grapes of the highest quality. All of the plants are nurtured using compost fertilizer and environmentally friendly practices, without insecticides or herbicides. Pepe”s belief is that great wine comes from a great vineyard.Varietal Composition70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah and 15% Merlot.

Santa Rosa Reserva commemorates founder Enrique Mendoza Cortes’ mother, Rosa Cortes Devesa. She instilled in him a passion for grape growing and winemaking that is still very evident in all the wines he produces today. This special red is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% each of Merlot and Syrah. Only the smallest, ripest bunches are specially selected for pressing, and after fermentation the wine spends eighteen months in French and American oak barrels.

Intense ruby-red in color, Santa Rosa Reserva offers layered aromas of wild blackberries, graphite, smoke and forest floor. On the palate, these notes are intertwined with hints of sweet spice and violets, and structurally it manages to show both a powerful and elegant sides as it unfolds into a long silky finish.

Serve this wine with juicy steaks, slow-smoked ribs, or with veal Parmaggiano.