Vineyards located in the valleys and mountain ranges recognised as "Biosphere Reserve" by UNESCO
Bodegas Irekua
O ur vineyards are situated in Entrena, Navarrete (Rioja Alta) and in the Iberian range mountain of Rioja, within the Rioja Qualified Denomination of Origin.
Bodegas Irekua honours the Iregua River, located in Entrena, on a glacis of the old Iregua riverbed.
T he winery has modern facilities and adapted to the latest generation technology of winemaking.
Mr. Carmelo Dominguez, as an expert winemaker of the winemaking team, has extensive experience in the field and professionalism in the preparation and aging of Rioja wines; having worked in large groups of the denomination.
The Vineyard
O ur vineyards are located between 525 and 900 meters, maximum altitude of cultivation in La Rioja; being thus one of the highest ones in Rioja and allowing that they are well aerated. By having solitary vineyards on the slopes of the hill of Moncalvillo (1,475 m), for not being in contact with others, we can produce an organic wine.
40% of our vineyards are within valleys and mountain ranges classified as "Reserve of the Biosphere" by UNESCO in 2003, a mountain area of the Iberian System that it has a perfect microclimate for the cultivation and development of the vine, providing an exceptional substance to the wines.
This farming system allows us to elaborate top quality wines and discover the potential of each of our vineyards. Farms of vine with own name as: Los Planos, El Campillo, Los Linares, Carrasco Redondo, Cuatro Cantos, Valgaraoz, La Cabañera, Los Llanos, Fuentepicas, Velilla.
Tempranillo is the most important grape variety of our winery, with young grapevines and old vineyard, followed by Garnacha, whose grapevines have more than 90 years, with an average age of 50.
Even so, our winery is recovering other varieties such as Graciano and Mazuelo. Low production in the vineyards based on quality.
According to our philosophy, we have vineyards of the varieties Tempranillo and Garnacha which grow in our organic vineyards where fields are fertilised in an organic and natural way, respecting the grapevine’s cycle and its environment.
For a decade, our winery does not use chemical fertilisers, using manure. The branches coming from the pruning, are crushed into the earth, to generate organic and natural fertiliser. Thus, vineyards become environmentally sustainable spaces.
The resulting wines have a very good acidity and ageing potential.
For being wines elaborated of small old parcels, limited production, selection of the grape in the field before entering the winery, we get the maximum expression of Garage Wines.
The Elaboration
The goal is to maintain the best quality. The harvest is manual and the grapes are selected in the field for its health and maturity. On arrival at the winery, each item is chosen again according to the requested parameters required by our winemaker.
During the following weeks, the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations of the grapes-juice becomes in the stainless steel tanks until finally it becomes wine, maintaining the fruit, and giving time for the wine to be refinedin a natural way.
The Aging
Underground, the wine stays in the oak barrels until to acquire the characteristics of "Crianza" or "Reserva". The temperature and humidity are controlled so that the breeding process is carried out properly.
After the stay in the oak barrel, the wine sleeps in the bottle until it has reached its full potential.
