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Heredad San Andrés (Cupani) Winery Guide

Winery Overview

San Vicente de la Sonsierra is one of La Rioja’s most picturesque villages – dominated by a castle in ruins and an ancient church on the top of a hill; its narrow streets eventually lead to magnificent views across the vineyards of Rioja Alavesa, set against the backdrop of the Sierra de la Demanda and Sierra de Cantabria. However, what is less commonly known is that San Vicente is home to one of Rioja’s finest new-wave producers and yet one of the most unrecognized – Heredad San Andrés.

With its vaulted stonework and ancient cellars dating back to the 16th century, this historic winery caught the eye of newlyweds Enrique Eguiluz and Magdalena Mendoza in 2000. Optimistic and bursting with drive and ambition, this charismatic and hardworking couple decided at the turn of the century to stake their claim on the (then) disused winery, fulfilling a long-standing dream to produce artisan wines at the heart of the Rioja Alta sub-zone. It was a fitting move for the family; Enrique’s great-grandfather was involved in the wine business, transporting wine in barrels from Rioja to the Basque Country. In addition, his children were winegrowers in Rioja.

However, Enrique and Magdalena knew this would not be a walk in the park. The winery required a considerable investment of time and money, and if nothing else, they needed a catchy name for their new project. So they settled upon the brand, Cupani, in deference to the native variety cultivated in the Rioja before phylloxera devastated its vineyards in the 19th century.

Today, Cupani is run by Enrique and his children Enrique Jr and Miguel, the estate’s winemaker. From 15 hectares of exceptional vineyards, they continue to produce superb, smooth, modern-style, fruity, and elegant estate-bottled reds – the single-vineyard Garnacha is an excellent example, offering all the concentration and muscle of a Priorat, but at half the price. But above all else, these delicious wines are a testament to the family’s single-minded devotion to excellence – Miguel is a great spokesperson for the importance of terroir cultivation and forbids any use of pesticides or herbicides in the vineyards. The results speak for themselves – rich, powerful Riojas that transmit a sense of place.

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Further Reading

Author

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James lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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