Torre de Ona Finca Martelo Reserva
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2040
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb chops with rosemary, traditional slow-cooked beef stew, and aged Spanish cheeses such as Manchego.
✨ Technical Specifications
Nestled in the prestigious Rioja Alavesa subregion, the Torre de Oña estate was acquired by the historic La Rioja Alta, S.A. in 1995 with the vision of creating a singular, terroir-driven estate wine. Finca Martelo Reserva represents the pinnacle of this pursuit, crafted only in exceptional vintages from old vines averaging over 60 years of age in the Martelo plot. Sheltered by the imposing Sierra de Cantabria mountains, these vineyards thrive in chalky clay-limestone soils, benefiting from a microclimate that balances Atlantic influences with Mediterranean warmth. The wine is a traditional field blend dominated by Tempranillo (around 95%), co-fermented with small amounts of Mazuelo, Garnacha, and even the white grape Viura, reflecting the ancestral practice of the region. Aged for approximately two years in a combination of American and French oak barrels, Finca Martelo bridges the gap between classic Rioja complexity and a modern, fruit-forward elegance, offering vibrant acidity, intense red fruit character, and refined, spicy undertones.
🍾 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, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo