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Wine Description
The Story
The restaurant foundad by Jean Leon in Beverly Hills gives its name to this Gran reserva which represents the realisation of a great dream: creating a wine that would bear his name. In the golden era of Hollywood, La Scala was the regular meeting place for stars such as Marilyn Monroe, immortalised on this wine's label in a unique portrayal by artist Josep Maria Subirachs.
The name La Scala is a tribute to the restaurant that Jean Leon opened with James Dean in Beverly Hills in 1956.
Located on a hillside at an elevation of 295 meters, it is the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in Spain. Planted in 1963, it has shallow, yellowish brown soils that are well-drained, moderately fine textured and contain few stones. Organic matter content is low, and calcium carbonate and active limestone levels are high. Low water holding capacity and shallow soil depth for roots to colonize.
Vine age: Planted in 1963
Surface area: 8 Ha. "Vinya La Scala"
Soil characteristics: This terrain is characterized by rocky, calcareous clay soils.
Wine Information
Grape varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Date grapes picked: Cabernet Sauvignon (22nd September 2000)
Age of vines: Average of 36 years
Vineyard size: 8 ha, La Scala vineyard
Fermentation: Controlled temperature fermentation (28º) in stainless steel vats, with maceration of skins during 18 days, followed by malolactic fermentation.
Ageing: 25 months in French new oak barriques, followed by minimum 3 years of bottle ageing.
Bottled: July 2003, 36 months in bottle prior release
Alcohol: 13'5%
Tasting notes: Deep cherry red, brilliant and clear with good development. Presents intense hints of honey, cherry jam and raisins, accompanied by toasted and spicy notes, due to its ageing in the barrel. Excellent concentration, with a voluptuous attack, accompanied by rounded tannins and a long and elegant finish.
Serving suggestions: Ideal with beef fillet, served with a shallot sauce, or leg of lamb with Provence herbs.
Serving temperature: 17–19ºC.
Vintage 2000
The Rioja vintage of 2000 in Spain is generally considered a very good vintage, although it may not have reached the same exceptional status as Bordeaux's 2000 vintage. Here are some key characteristics of the Rioja Vintage 2000:
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Quality: The 2000 vintage in Rioja produced wines of good to very good quality. While it might not be regarded as one of the absolute best vintages in Rioja history, it was a solid year overall.
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Weather Conditions: The weather during the growing season was generally favorable, with warm and dry conditions in the lead-up to the harvest. This allowed the grapes to ripen well and resulted in wines with good fruit concentration.
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Aging Potential: Rioja wines from the 2000 vintage tend to have the potential to age gracefully, particularly those from top producers and reserva or gran reserva wines, which are aged for extended periods before release.
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Varietal Characteristics: Rioja wines are typically made from Tempranillo grapes, which often show characteristics of red fruit, spice, and oak aging. In the 2000 vintage, these characteristics were generally well-expressed.
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Diversity: Rioja is a diverse wine region with various subzones and wineries, so the quality and style of wines can vary depending on the producer and specific terroir.
Overall, the Rioja Vintage 2000 produced wines that are well-regarded by enthusiasts and collectors. It may not have garnered the same level of global attention as some Bordeaux vintages, but it remains a solid vintage for Rioja wines, and well-made bottles from this vintage can still be enjoyable and have aging potential today.
