Rioja Mácan Clásico 2022 Benjamin de Rothschild & Tempos Vega Sicilia

The Rioja Mácan Clásico 2022 from Benjamin de Rothschild & Tempos Vega Sicilia is one of the most accessible and immediately seductive expressions of a viticultural project that stands among the most ambitious and accomplished on the Iberian peninsula. Mácan Clásico proves closer and more expressive, revealing the character of the soil from which it springs and a sensitivity that makes it deeply appealing. A wine of 100 per cent Tempranillo, crafted in the spirit of a Bordeaux second wine, uniting in a single glass the nobility of two global wine dynasties and the singular richness of Rioja Alta's terroirs.

The genesis of an exceptional project

When Benjamin de Rothschild and Pablo Álvarez first met, they quickly conceived the idea of joining forces to create a shared domaine, with a vision already remarkably clear, to recreate wines in the old manner, Riojas of timeless elegance combining the refined style of yesteryear with the advantages of modern winemaking. Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia was born in 2004 from this partnership between Tempos Vega Sicilia and the Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild. After five years of terroir evaluation and the acquisition of 92 hectares of vineyard, the project took shape in 2009 with the first vintage of both wines, Macán and Macán Clásico. Following the Bordeaux model, there is a Grand Vin, Macán, and a second wine, Macán Clásico. This is no traditional Rioja, for Macán and Macán Clásico are not blends of multiple terroirs but express a single terroir, that of San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja Alta.

Terroir and vineyard

The grapes come from around 100 hectares of gobelet-trained vines, averaging 35 years old, of which 80 per cent are cultivated in the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja Alta. Wine styles are defined according to the nature of the vineyards, the younger, lower-altitude parcels planted on alkaline clay-sandy soils destined for Macán Clásico. This terroir of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabrique, enjoys a microclimate of remarkable freshness and thermal amplitude that confers upon Tempranillo a natural freshness and aromatic precision rare in a southern vineyard. Both wines are aged in fine-grained Burgundian oak rather than the traditional American oak of Rioja, a deliberate choice for more delicate and precise wood influence. Macán Clásico is designed to express the freshness, fruitiness, vivacity and delicacy of the terroir, bringing depth and complexity. Winemaking is conducted with indigenous yeasts, an initial cold maceration of three to four days, fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and twelve months' ageing in new and second-use French oak barrels.

Tasting profile

The colour is a deep, luminous ruby with violet reflections. The nose opens onto aromas of ripe red fruits, spices and subtle floral notes. Aromas of sweet amarena cherries and candied fruits distinguish themselves, with toasted nuances evoking nut chocolate and gingerbread. On the palate, the texture is juicy and round, with fine tannins and velvety texture, the signature of gentle extraction and precise Burgundian oak ageing. Flavours of cherry, plum and vanilla express themselves with balance before a long, refined finish with silky tannins. A Rioja of remarkable drinkability and elegance, accessible now and capable of harmonious evolution over five to eight years.

The domaine

Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia embodies the shared vision two great names of the wine world hold of Rioja, wines of great elegance where the harmony of their aromas and flavours reveals the authenticity of the soil from which they spring. Since 2016, the two families have operated modern facilities together in Rioja DOCa, where innovation, technology and wine science converge. The winery, designed by Madrid architect Enrique Johansson for an investment of 24 million euros, ranks among the finest on the Iberian peninsula, an architectural setting befitting the viticultural ambition that animates it.

Food pairings

This Rioja Mácan Clásico will pair beautifully with herb-roasted lamb and rosemary jus, squab stuffed with mushrooms, lamb chops with preserved peppers, grilled ribeye, Valencian rice with lobster or a board of aged Iberian cheeses such as aged Manchego or smoked Idiazábal. Served between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius with gentle decanting for 30 minutes recommended, it will reveal all the fruity refinement and silky elegance of an exceptional Rioja signed by two legends of world wine.