Aster El Espino
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder, grilled ribeye steak with rosemary, and mature sheep's milk cheeses such as Manchego.
✨ Technical Specifications
La Rioja Alta, S.A., legendary for its Rioja classics, ventured into the rugged terrain of Ribera del Duero in 1991 to establish Viñedos Aster in the prized subregion of Anguix. Named after a wildflower that blooms during the harvest, Aster represents a bridge between Riojan elegance and the raw power of Castilla y Leon. The El Espino bottling is crafted from 100 percent Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) grown in high-altitude vineyards situated at 830 meters above sea level. Here, the vines contend with extreme continental temperatures and clay-loam soils, yielding grapes with thick skins and intense concentration. The wine undergoes traditional fermentation followed by aging in French oak barrels, resulting in a dark, muscular red characterized by ripe blackberry, liquorice, and toasted spice, balanced by a refined acidity that is the hallmark of its parent house.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1890 in Haro's iconic Barrio de la Estación by five Basque and Riojan families, La Rioja Alta S.A. stands as an archetype of classical Spanish viticulture. Operating extensive estate holdings across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa—complemented by satellites Torre de Oña in Páganos, Áster in Ribera del Duero, and Lagar de Cervera in Rías Baixas—the estate relies upon calcareous-clay and alluvial soils tempered by Atlantic and continental microclimates. The viticultural approach prioritizes meticulous canopy management, estate-grown fruit, and low-impact sustainable husbandry. In the cellar, the bodega is renowned for its in-house cooperage of seasoned American oak, manual barrel racking by candlelight every six months, and remarkably patient oxidative maturation. The resulting wines—exemplified by Viña Ardanza, Viña Arana, and the majestic Gran Reserva 890 and 904—display exceptional longevity, savory complexity, fine-grained tannins, and vibrant Atlantic freshness.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo (Tinto Fino min 75%), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec