XdT VINEYARDS AND VARIETALS

XdT uses grapes from different vineyards.

The main vineyard is four miles away from the winery, near the town of San Vicente de la Sonsierra. The vineyard is planted with tempranillo with an average vine stock age of 30 years. Whilst 2.7 hectares are planted only 2.2 hectares are ever harvested. The vineyard is 528m above sea level and occupies one of the prime positions in the Rioja Alta, being only being 200m from the river Ebro.

The topsoil of the vineyard is composed of clay and limestone and a subsoil of gravel and sand from the river bed. This soil called “cascajo” in Rioja is ideal for bringing out the very subtle and complex flavours of the tempranillo grape. 

The pebble and stone with the gravel underlay makes the land permeable, protecting the vines from excess humidity, whilst at the same time forcing the roots deep into the soil to find nourishment. This dept to which the vines have grown helps to protect them during particularly dry periods.   

Together with these unique soil characteristics, the nearby Sierra produces a very particular climate, with a specific amount of rainfall and high degree of temperature variation. This allows for the grapes to mature to an optimum degree with a superior level of colour, backbone and structure. 

Great care is taken in harvesting the grapes. The yield is less than 3,500 kilograms per hectare, which helps the longevity of the vines themselves and whereby only the grapes are picked which have the right depth of colour, which translates into being able to produce some of the best and most subtle and complex tempranillo wines in the Rioja.

Our second vineyard is placed between Abalos and Peciña at an altitude of 598m. It is only half a hectare and over twenty years ago was planted with rare local as well as experimental varietals. 

The soil is clay and limestone and is rich in calcium carbonate, which is ideal for the growing of these varietals rarely seen in Rioja.   

The recovery of the most artisan techniques of care of vines. Like tillage with the help of mules, are some of the characteristics that the vineyards from which the XdT grape comes from.

The care of the vineyards is made by Miguel Mato, a true connoisseur of the soils, vineyards and traditions of La Rioja, which are combined with the most modern oenological techniques to follow the evolution of the grape both in the vineyard and in the winery.