Rothschild & Vega Sicilia, Macan Clasico, Rioja, 2022

Rothschild & Vega Sicilia, Macan Clasico, Rioja, 2022Macan Clasico is a quintessential wine from the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria in La Rioja. It showcases the freshness, fruitiness, liveliness and delicacy of the terroir, while also offering depth and complexity. Since 2016, this joint venture between Tempos Vega Sicilia and the Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild has enjoyed modern facilities where innovation, technology and wine science converge. Macan Clasico is 100% Tempranillo,

Macan Clasico is a quintessential wine from the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria in La Rioja. It showcases the freshness, fruitiness, liveliness and delicacy of the terroir, while also offering depth and complexity. Since 2016, this joint venture between Tempos Vega Sicilia and the Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild has enjoyed modern facilities where innovation, technology and wine science converge. Macan Clasico is 100% Tempranillo, from limestone plots with a slightly more sandy-loam profile. This Atlantic-influenced vintage was harvested in October, and benefited from a little more extraction and oak than its hot-vintage predecessor.

The Vintage

2019 was a dry year. The lack of water during May, June, and July affected the vineyard, with temperatures slightly higher than average, even during winter and autumn. In fact, it can be considered the warmest year of the decade, with a heatwave at the end of June and start of July that, unusually, saw temperatures topping 40℃. The drought affected the entire ripening phase, with the berries only swelling very slightly. However, the 80mm that fell during the first fortnight of September helped alleviate the vines’ water needs, with the fruit quickly swelling. Ultimately, the weather was kind to the harvest, with the region experiencing mild temperatures, a limited diurnal temperature range, and no mists or rainfall that could have posed a risk to production.