George Hill Annual Festival of Wines (Urbina Winery Rioja)

GEORGE HILL ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF WINES (URBINA WINERY RIOJA)

Establised Family owned Wine Merchants for more than 100 years. Trading since 1909 George Hill has maintained its reputation for consistent quality and value for money. George Hill Ltd is a provincial Wine Merchant, situated in the centre of Loughborough in Leicestershire. One of the great advantages to buying wine from them is that they hold a range of regular customer events such as weekly tastings. If you're looking to expand your drinking repertoire. From small and quirky through to ultra premium, here you will find the best combination of hard-to-get products and expert service.

  
- Name: George Hill Fine Wine & Food
- Adress: 59 Ward's End,Loughborough, Leicestershire County LE11 3HB, UK
- Phone: +44 1509 212717 or Fax: +44 01509 236963
- Web: www.georgehill.co.uk


- History: George Hill was a Lincolnshire farmer's son, who, in 1901 arrived in Leicestershire to work for the "County Stores", a high quality grocery and provisions merchant. He was, for some time, the manager of their shop, in the village of Quorn (or Quorndon). It was here that his daughter (Doris) and son (Eddie) were born. In 1909, he started his own business in the nearby village of Sileby. Quickly growing in reputation, he bought out "County Stores" in 1915. At this time, "County Stores" also had large premises in the provincial market town of Loughborough. Here, George flourished and in due time was assisted by his son Eddie. The business became the largest wholesale grocery company in Leicestershire and, in fact, Loughborough's emergency rations were stored in the company cellars during the Second World War.


Today Andrew Hill is the Grandson of the Founder, and is the Managing Director of George Hill Fine Wine & Food. As well as being the primary buyer, Andrew also creates Wine Lists for the trade customers and is on hand to give advice and guidance to customers in the shop. That´s why we higly recomendo to to strike up a relationship with Andrew, some who really knows what they are talking about. In may opinion that´s the majic about local wine independents, it´s their team of passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable staff, and so the road to begin a better drinking. We can aslo talk to Lee Costelow, who has been part of the George Hill family for the past 25 years. Amongst many jobs, he keeps the shop and the warehouses running smoothly, gets your orders ready, dresses the shop window with his artistic flair and helps people with their menu challenges. Outside of the office he is a keen cook and "foodie" and enjoys the challenge of food and wine pairing.


- George Hill Wine Club: Did you know that you can get a regular wine delivery from Goerge Hill? They can deliver monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly usually during the first full week in the month. They will deliver a case of 12 bottles, to your home or work address free of charge if you are in a 30 mile radius from the centre of Loughborough. Working to your budget, they tailor your delivery to suit your tastes. All reds? All white? Or a mixed case? Don´t like Malbec? Love Chardonnay? They learn what you love (and hate) and make sure that every bottle is selected to thrill and excite you. You get great wine, free delivery, discounted prices and you don´t ever need to run out again! If you are interested? Talk to Sue or Gillan who will take your details and they will do the rest.

  
- Urbina Winery: Bodegas Benito Urbina is a family-owned Single Estate winery situated in Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón, on the north-western edge of DOCa Rioja Alta. It is an area that produces wines with a great capacity for ageing, and is therefore excellent for the production of Reservas and Gran Reservas. They own 75 hectares of vineyards, 65 of Tempranillo, and 10 of Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo and Viura. Terroir plays an essential role in their vineyards: clay-calcareous soils on the right bank of the river Tirón are ideal for wines which undergo the lengthy ageing process characteristic of the Urbina wines, clay-ferrous soils in the villages of Urunuela-Cenicero are perfect for fresh, young wines, and finally sandy-limestone on the left bank of the Tirón close to Haro is suitable for the Urbina wines in between these previous two. Urbina has a capacity to produce 300,000 bottles of Red Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva and 50,000 bottles of White and Rosado, using grapes from their own vineyards.


Four generations of the family have dedicated themselves to the cultivation of their vineyards and the production of wine since 1870. In 1975 the bodega began to age and bottle their own wine in order to retain the special characteristics of a small single Estate. Their sole objective, the production of quality wines, has been achieved as the result of careful viticulture using traditional techniques, harvesting by hand, the application of organic fertilizers only, avoiding the use of weed killers and pesticides, and the use of indigenous yeasts. The vines are grown in bush form and some are trained by cordon, with controlled yields not exceeding 4500 kilos/ha.There has been a large investment in modern installations, stainless steel fermentation tanks and a bottling plant. We are the sole UK agents for Bodegas Benito Urbina.

  
- Tim Atkin: Master of Wine, Writer, Photographer and nowadays, he is also known to be the best Rioja wine expert and journalists. Recently has spent a few weeks in La Rioja rediscovering the best traditional wines and finding the latest wines and styles emerging from around the Region. He has met with many of Rioja's top winemakers and especialist for private tastings in several wineries, tasting rooms and vineyards. As Tim explains no individual can taste every wine form Rioja´s 600-odd producers, but he has sampled most of the wines ans a broad selection of what the region has to offer (850 wines for his last report).


This is one of those persons whose CV (curriculum vitae resume) is truly impressive. He is not only a Master of Wine, he has won over thirty prizes for his wine journalism and photography, has written for all the top specialist magazines (Decanter, The World of Fine Wine, Gourmet Traveller Wine, Imbibe) as well as popular publications like Jamie Magazine and is also the co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge, one of the top wine competitions in the world. Today, Tim Atkin works for numerous international publications and has his own website where he publishes reports and articles, which are known to be the best in the trade.


Tim Atkin Urbina Rioja Wine Report 2017:
- (94 Points) 1996 Urbina Gran Reserva: Urbina is not as well known as bodegas like López de Heredia, but it deserves to be. This is another mature, bottle-aged triumph that will have Rioja lovers purring with pleasure. Sweet, seductive and well balanced with classic red berry, game and balsamic notes. 2017-21.
- (94 Points) 2001 Urbina Reserva Especial Reserva: If you’re a fan of traditional, oak- and bottle-aged Rioja and Urbina is not on your radar then you’re missing out. This fresh, mature, savour, sweetly oaked red from Cuzcurrita is an amazing bottle of wine for only £20. Such balance, such poise, such downright enjoyment. 2017-24.
- (93 Points) 1999 Urbina Selección Crianza: No, I didn’t make a mistake with the vintage. This is indeed a Crianza from 1999, made by one of the very best traditional producers from Tempranillo with 5% Graciano and Mazuelo. It’s a silky, mature, gamey, hedonistic style with lovely balance and the acidity of a cooler area. 2017-22.

  
Tim Atkin Urbina Rioja Wine Report 2015:
- (95 Points) 1994 Urbina Gran Reserva  Especial: Showing the benefits of blind tasting, this remarkable blend of Tempranillo with 5% Mazuelo and Graciano from a family-owned winery in Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón showed very well at the 10 x 10 tasting in London. Amazingly fresh for its age, it has savoury, dried fruit notes, fine tannins, good structure and the intensity and acidity to age further. 2015-21.
- (91 Points) 2014 Urbina Garnacha: Why aren’t there more varietal Garnachas made in Rioja, given how delicious they can be? This has a vibrant, strawberryish rose with juicy gluggable spicy red fruit, and good structure. All about fruit and youth, rather than oak and age. 2015-20.

  
- What is "Rioja"?: Rioja is that specific wine elaborated within the frame of the Denomination of Origin Qualified Rioja (D.O.Ca. Rioja). The Rioja wine is aslo made from grapes grown in the autonomous communities of La Rioja and Navarre, and the Basque province of Álava. Rioja is further subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. Many wines have traditionally blended fruit from all three regions, though there is a slow growth in single-zone or vineyard wines. This wine region is basically one large valley, sandwiched between the Sierra Cantabia montains to the north and de Sierra de la Demanda mountains to  the south, more or less following the course of the main River Ebro as it flows towards the Mediterranean sea. On the other hand, "La Rioja" is a Autonomous Community within the Kingdom of Spain with its own Government.

  
- Rioja in Figures: The vine-growing area in Rioja has approximate extension of 64,000 hectares (Tempranillo grape is more than 75% of the Rioja vineyards. In 1973, Rioja´s plantings contained 39% Garnacha and 31% Tempranillo. The other three local red grapes, 2,11% Mazuelo, 1,76% Graciano and newly rediscovered 0,14% Maturana Tinta, are even less significant). When irrigation was introduced to the Rioja Baja in the 1980s, growers began to move away from Granacha, which gives lower yields (Nowadays Rioja Baja accounts for more than 60% of the DOCa´s). The production is divided unequally between 144 municipalities, which produces on average around 400 million kilos of grapes and 250 millon litres of wine every year (of which 90% is red, less than 7% of Rioja´s vineyards are planted with white grapes and 5,62% is Viura) in about 1,200 bodegas half of which are registered as rioja bottling wineries (368 bodegas age Rioja). There are 1.266.154 (225-litre oak casks) in the appellation's cellars.

  



- History: Briefly speaking, the history of the production of wine in Rioja dates back to the 11th Century B.C. when the Phoenicians settled down in this land. Much later and towards the 2nd Century B.C. the Romans arrived in Rioja. During their 500 year stay in Rioja, the Romans left behind countless traces ans abundant evidence of their advanced culture and knowledge concerning the wine industry. On the other hand, the contribution of the Christian monasteries was very important for the expansion of viticulture and enology. Of extreme relevance is also the effect of the continous piligrimage of peoples from other countries across the Route of Saint James which meant a tremendous influence on the development and notoriety of the wine produced in this area. The actual and decisive impulse of Rioja commenced around the 1850´s when some winemakers travelled to Bordeaux to learn their skills and techniques. These pioneers spread the use of the oak barrel to store and transport wine and the usage of large vats to crush and ferment the grapes, in order to improve the longetivity ans qualitiy of wines. Such advances made it possible to export wine to distant lands as far as Cuba and Mexico, or even to break into the demanding British Market.


- Rioja Sub-Regions: The Control Board of the Denomination of Origin Rioja subdivides the wine-growing region into three distinct areas or sub-regions: Rioja Alta (High Rioja) and Rioja Alavesa, both located in the west and Rioja Baja (Low Rioja) in the east. Traditionally, many wines have blended fruit produced in all these three subareas. Each part of Rioja contributes with its own especialities. But now exist a new movement, towards wines made in specific villages and vineyards. Vineyard-focused wines are a comparatively new thing in Rioja. But there´s an increasingly important move towards terroir-focused wines that express the personality of single sites. One of the challenge facing this new wave of Rioja is one of identification. For the ime being, it is illegal to put village names on labels, unless it is the physical adress of the winery.


 - Rioja Terroir: Rioja vines are planted in open plains, hillsides and terraces, with numerous soil types, generally with low fertility. Mainly three different kinds of soils can be found in Rioja vineyards: calcareous clay, ferrogious clay and alluvial soils. Although climate varies significantly within the region of Rioja, we could state that the climate in Rioja is, despite the Alantic and Mediterranean influence, mainly Continental. This makes Rioja the perfect location where the three principal climates come together in such a small area. In regards  to crops and farming, the Designation only permits the plantation of grape varieties authorised by its corresponding regulation. The most ample variety planted is the red grape Tempranillo with 50,000 hectares, followed by Garnacha red with 6,000 hectares and lastly Viura, a white grape, with 4,000 hectares. Other varieties, for instance Graciano, Malvasia, and Maturana, have less quantitative importance.


-  Styles of Rioja Wine: Rioja is ofthen only indentified with its oaked red wines, a somewhat normal opinion assuming that 85%  of Rioja wine is red. Even so, Rioja offers a full range of wines: from young wines to ageing wines, from varietal wines to the traditional coupages with grapes and wines from different riojan areas. In some villages within the Rioja Denomination, apart from dry wines and out of the protection of the D.O.Ca. Rioja, sparkling wines and even dessert wines as well as ice wines also are produced. We also can find modern versus traditional wines. Modernist: Richer, velvety wine aged for less time, and in newer oak. Released earlier and mostly need keeping. French oak barrels and Traditionalists: Fragant, silky, delicate. Long ageing in casks and bottle. Ready to drink on release. American oak barrels. We can also find somethin in between Moderns-Classical: Younger, rounder wines. Character through oak ageing. Can develop in bottle. Often a mix of american and french oak barrels.



 - Classification of Rioja Wine: According to the Denomination norms, Rioja wines are classified into four categories: "Young", "Crianza", "Reserva", and "Gran Reserva", depending on the type of ageing the wine has gone through, that is, the time it has spent in the oak barrel and in the bottle. The first, simply labeled Rioja, is the youngest, spending less than a year in an oak aging barrel. A crianza is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which was in oak. Rioja Reserva is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, Rioja Gran Reserva wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of crianza, Reserva etc. might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.


- Fashionable Rioja Wines: Rioja is rapidly becoming fashionable. This well deserved popularity is not only due to the high standard of quality of tis wines, but also to the great effort and extreme efficiency in reaching the goal of being side by side and at the same level as the classical and most reputable viticultural regions of Europe. A Rioja under €8 will be a straightforward, simple, fruity wine, whereas between £8 and £25 there is plenty of character to be found. Second, the very big brands (formerly known for cheap and cheerful reds, piled high in supermarkets) are coming to understand their customers, and to diversify. A third trend is the arrival of people working with old vines, identifying subzones in a Burgundian village style, creating business models at odds with the work of the big producers. These wines will cost more than £25, but their philosophy will have an influence on the longer term. Consequently, Rioja wines are sold in over 100 countries. About one third of its production is exported worldwide.

  
- Rioja Wine Tourism: Any time is suitable, each period has its charm. But one of the best seasons to visit Rioja is in autumn, from October to November. Durind this time the grape harvest takes place and the vineyards change colour, form green to different shades of red and ochre. The Landscape is fantastic ans the weather is in general mild. In this period, the wineries are in the peak activity, with tractors unloading grapes while inside the wineries the must begins its fermentation. Apart of visiting wineries, we can find a wide range of activities for groups or individual visitors. There is an interesting cultural offer in the Rioja territory, but the most popular attractions are the Medieval villages, filled with castles, places ans churches. There is also many restaurants where to enjoy your meals with their delicious gastronomy. We can also enjoy the Rioja paradise for hiking, cycling, climing, skiing, hunting, fishing and all sorts of outdoor sport activities.


- Vintages of Rioja: Rioja has built a good deal of its popularity thanks to the image of consistent quality. For all that, it is still possible to generalize and divide Rioja vintages into "Atlantic Vintages" more floral and fragrant on the nose and silky, delicate, with nice acidity in the palate. "Mediterranean Vintages" more ripen fruit on the nose and richer, juicy, velvety, on the palate. Neither of which are necessarily superior.


2013: Cold, rainy, variable, difficult year. Pick your producer carefully.
2012: Low yields. The best wines are fresh and elegant Drink 2015-2025.
2011: Very dry conditions resulted in wines of great power and weight. Officially 'excelente'. Wines can be warm and jammy, Best are still to shine.
2010: This is a superb vintage, certainly the best since 2005. The wines balance freshness with concentration, some growers describing it as a mix of the elegant 2005s and the intense 2004s. Excelente. Good, even ripening. Drink or keep the best until 2020 or later.


2009: A hot, dry summer and good harvest conditions meant grapes reached excellent maturity. The wines are rich, dense and flamboyant. Quality depends on producer.Can be tannic. Drink 2015 or soon.
2008: A text-book year, with fine, elegant and very fragrant wines that, like 1998, are mainly to be enjoyed young. A cool year. Wines show freshness, lower alcohol. Drink 2015 and in the medium term.


2007: A complicated year requiring a super selective and protracted harvest. Ultimately considered very satisfactory and of good ageing potential. Cold, late vintage. Lighter wines. Can be elegant from top producers. Drink 2015 or soon.
2006: Lowest yields since 2001 and a generally favourable weather cycle, its wines are light, fragrant and mostly should be enjoyed now. A warmer year than 2007. Selection was needed. Drink 2015 or soon.


2005: A large, healthy, plentiful harvest; officially rated as exceptional and unprecedented, its wines are full, immediate and classy. Officially excelente. A vintage of even ripening, giving elegant wines. Lovely from 2015-2025 or even longer.
2004: A cold spring and wet August, but a large harvest of excellent quality for those skilled enough to deal with the tricky weather. Dark, well-structured wines; the best still unravelling. Excelente: supple,fleshy, attractive. Enloy 2015-2025 or longer.


2003: Irregular weather and an extremely hot, dry summer posed problems for harvesting and vinification. Officially rated good, but wines were thin and short-lived.
2002: Cold and drought affected development of the fruit, and yields in Rioja Alta and Alavesa were low. Initially, the quality looked doubtful, but it was a deceptive vintage, and many outlived the 2001s.


2001: Smaller harvest and goodquality fruit. An excellent vintage with some outstanding gran reservas being released now.
2000: Generally favourable conditions. Huge harvest, but abnormally high summer and autumn temperatures led to uneven quality and a good many wines that were simply bland.


1999: The worst April frost in memory delayed maturation, and summer rain resulted in mildew. Average.
1998: Biggest-ever vintage. Rain in the autumn delayed picking. Very good and very fine in their day.
1997: Little sun and much rain gave a large and patchy vintage. Poor.
1996: Cold spring and cool summer. Well-structured but fairly immediate, these were fragrant and appealing in their day.




Beyond this, if tempted to indulge in significantly older vintages - should you be able to find them - only choose those from a top house, make sure they've been stored properly, on no account either let them breathe or decant them and aim for 1955, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1985 or 1995.


Rioja Classic Red Grapes:
- Tempranillo: Is the classic red grape variety of Rioja, producing soft, supple wines, with aromas of summer fruits, which are well suited to ageing, developing depth, character and elegance.
- Mazuelo: Can be blended with Tempranillo to add colour, weight and tannins to help the wines age gracefully.
- Garnacha: Adds warmth and spice to a number of different styles of Rioja. Can be found as a single varietal, with old vines producing refined, highly prized wines.
- Graciano: Brings extra fruit flavours and elegance to blends with Tempranillo. Also found in single varietal wines with great character and finesse.


Rioja Classic White Grapes:
- Viura: This produces clean, fresh, zesty, young white wines.
- Garnacha Blanca: Can be blended with Viura to add weight and body to aged wines.
- Malvasia: Adds a musky, savoury character, to the fresh crispness of the Viura producing oak-aged wines of great individuality and style.


- New Rioja Varietals: In 2007, Rioja regulators approved the use of 9 new varieties of grapes, enabling greater complexity in its white wines while maintaining its identity and heritage. These include three non-native varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo as well as three native ones Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Turruntés. Another three native minority grape varieties, these red, were also approved: Maturana Tinta, Maturano and Monastrell.



- Rioja Wine Tasting with Bodegas Urbina: Pedro Urbina, 4th generation family-owner of Bodegas Urbina in Rioja Alta, presented at the George Hill Annual Festival, a tasting of his fabulous Rioja wines, from his youngest 2016 to the oldest 1994 Gran Reserva Especial. Pedro Benito Urbina is a prestigious oenologist with great experienced and impresive academic training in Spain and France. His brother Jesus Angel is a skilful vine grower, who is in charge of the vineyards management. In the last few years their sons are taking over the winemaking and vine growing as well.


The Urbina family has been growers in Rioja for generations, but it was Pedro who first took the initiative of building a new winery, in 1986, and started making his own wine instead of selling the grapes or wine in bulk. He also improved the vineyards (90 per cent Tempranillo), by recovering a small panoply of varieties with massal selection form a few vines planted by his ancestors.



The attitude, taste, and winemaking philosophy of this endearing, down-to-earth family is so Burgundian. The wines come from their own vineyards 70ha, on different soil types, the great majority of vines head-pruned, with an average age of 40 years, an average yield of 30-35hl/ha, and an average altitude of 520m.


The Urbina family is a firm believer in the idea that wine is made in the vineyard. The main focus is on the terroir, since they aim to produce wines that express the former’s characteristics of the place were they come from. For them wine should be a liquid expression of a particular place. They take pride in the fact that their style of wine derives from three factors: The vineyard’s terroir with fantastic weather, the right choice of grapes, and the winemaker’s intentions.


All this makes Bodegas Urbina one of the main guardians of traditional Rioja and is loyalty to the classic profile of its wines. This does not mean it has avoided change or innovation (viticulture, vilification, and aging have all been updated through the years), but the basic remain the same, and their identity is scrupulously protected, a philosophy that sometimes means returning to the old practices.


They are located in the North West part of Rioja Alta, considered by many to be the greatest area for wine growing and potential for wines of aging capacity. The facilities are located in Cuzcurrita del Río Tirón, in a very beautiful medieval town.