Costalara 2020 is the first of the reds from this riverside winery to obtain organic certification, a 100% fine red wine from vineyards planted between 19 and 21 years ago. The vineyards are located in the towns of Anguix and Olmedillo de Roa in Burgos, at an altitude of about 800 meters and on stony soils with a clayey-calcareous bottom. From the winery it is stated that "it is made in an artisanal way and with little intervention, seeking to enhance the fruity and original expression of the vineyard."
Costalara 2020 reiterates the strong commitment to the ecology of Pagos de Anguix, which has more than 30 hectares of vineyards planted organically for more than two decades. The vocation of the winery is to practice respectful viticulture not only with the vines, but also with the environment. Pagos de Anguix is a member of the Regenerative Viticulture Association and, as such, carries out viticultural work aimed at restoring life to the soil and promoting biodiversity.
In its vineyards, respectful pruning is carried out with the sap flows of the plant, which contributes to prolonging its life and improving its state of health. Currently, 99% of the Pagos de Anguix vineyard is certified organic and the remaining 1% is in the conversion process, so the entire range of wines from the winery will be completely organic in subsequent vintages.
The winemaker José Manuel Pérez Ovejas, at the head of the Pagos de Anguix technical team, summarizes the 2020 vintage as a very high-level vintage, despite the complications derived from the Covid-19 pandemic. The team led by Pérez Ovejas decided to delay the harvest for a few days compared to other neighboring wineries in a vintage that is considered somewhat cooler than the previous one. In fact, they consider this vintage cold. Despite this, the wines obtained reached perfect maturation, although the alcoholic strength was slightly higher than the average for the DO Ribera del Duero. The decision was lucky. The winemaker recalls the rains that interrupted the grape harvest, an event that did not prevent him from obtaining "excellent results."
The Costalara vineyards are planted at an altitude of 850 meters on stony soils on a clayey-calcareous background. The character of the red fino vineyards from which this wine comes marks its balanced profile and its fruity essence. "Patience and wisdom are enough to ensure that this noble varietal expresses the true richness of this unique terroir," says Pago de Anguix. Its trellised vines, 2,500 feet per hectare, were conducted in a royat cordon.
2020 turned out to be a very healthy vintage with a rapidly evolving vegetative cycle due to good temperatures and the existence of water reserves in the soil. The harvest of the Costalara, by hand, began on October 14. The 2020 harvest was long, very harsh, with weather that left continuous rainy episodes, forcing the harvest to stop on several occasions. In 2020, 498,420 kilos of grapes were harvested in Pagos de Anguix. The harvest, classified as excellent by the DO Ribera del Duero Regulatory Council, closed in the DO with more than 123 million kilos of high-quality grapes.
The Costalara 2020 was aged for 12 months in French (two-thirds of the total) and American oak barrels. It was bottled in May 2022. A total of 124,025 bottles of 75 cl were produced from this Costalara vintage. (251,051 bottles among all the references of the winery). They define it as “a pret-à-porter of fruit and minerality”. On its back label it is noted that "the origin marks the expression and identity of a wine that is the fruit of the passion of Juvé
Beautiful cherry color and high layer. It is a red very focused on red and black strawberries, but with a marked wood evidenced by notes reminiscent of vanilla and coconut. It also exhibits fresh red and black fruits, spices (white pepper), dried herbs from scrubland, licorice and a mineral touch. It is round, somewhat sweet, with a lactic touch and good acidity, which makes it sharp and persistent.
The wood is very well integrated, although it will improve with more time per bottle. It is a Ribera del Duero with a modern cut and easy to drink, with well tamed tannins, which does not lose face to tradition or the typicality of the area. From the winery it is stated that it is a red to uncork "before a meal of intense flavors and sweet nuances".
They propose dishes such as suckling pig, roast white or red meat or intense grilled fish for their pairing. The president of Pagos de Anguix, Joan Juvé, likes to accompany this wine with a roast lamb from Aranda de Duero or with some Burgos-style tripe. José Manuel Pérez Ovejas highlights his gastronomic versatility. He suggests harmonizing it with a lamb cheek or with a partridge with a reduction of this same wine. And the veteran restaurateur from Valladolid, José Luis Gil Gil, opts for pairing it with stewed rabbit or with any grilled or grilled meat. It is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 14 and 15º C.
Pagos de Anguix was born from the desire of Joan Juvé and his daughter, Meritxell, to start a project of great wines in Ribera del Duero. He started walking in 2018 with the purchase of the property, located in the town of Burgos that gives it its name and in a northern area of Castilla y León, a cultivation limit also due to its altitude, which is around 800 meters above sea level. from sea. He is part of group J.
The winery, which is self-sufficient for the most part with its own grapes, turns to local viticulturists to supply itself with albillo mayor, a white variety that is part of the blend of El Rosado de Pagos de Anguix. The goal of the winery is to "produce refined and elegant wines in terms of freshness, taking advantage of the location of its vineyards, and showing the character of the fine riverside red wine of the area." Pagos de Anguix owns 42 hectares of vineyards in Anguix and another 33 in Olmedillo de Roa. They export 12% of their production. The United States, Denmark, Switzerland and the Dominican Republic are its main international markets.
