The de Miguel family attracted attention from the very beginning in this classic wine region. They are now considered among the great innovators of Rioja and above all the most Burgundian winemakers of the appellation.
They continue their father’s legacy with this remarkable “cru”: Finca de los Locos.
The story behind it is quite special: in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the vineyards along the Ebro river were the most sought after.
On these alluvial soils, yields were the highest and in the Rioja philosophy of those years yield was everything. As a result, the prices of those vineyards quickly skyrocketed.
A small cosechero, like the grandfather of Kike and Arturo, simply did not have the means to buy vineyards there.
And today that turns out to be their good fortune. He could only afford plots located higher up the hillsides and difficult to access. And precisely those parcels are today the most sought after.
Mainly because, under the influence of the younger generation, yield is no longer the priority.
Today the magic words are quality and terroir. And you will naturally find both on these small high-altitude parcels.
Because their father still decided to buy this parcel at the time, he was called “the madman”, and the vineyard soon received the name “finca de los locos”. Today it has become a badge of honour and a synonym for one of the finest vineyard sites in Rioja.
The vineyard is located in the village of Baños de Ebro and is barely 2.8 ha in size. The “real” name of the parcel is “Paraje Peñaescalera”.
On Friday I already introduced you to their other premier cru “Paso las Mañas”, from one of the highest vineyards in Rioja. This “Finca de los Locos” has a very different character, not only because of its terroir (sandy and stony soils), but also because of the field blend of 70% Tempranillo, 25% Graciano and 5% Viura (a white grape).
Compared with Paso las Mañas, this wine is softer, more charming and also more approachable in its youth. And believe me: this 2023 vintage is both delicious and elegant.
Read here what Gutiérrez writes about it in R.Parker:
94/100
“The label of the single-vineyard 2023 Finca de Los Locos now has the name of the "paraje" where the vines are, Peñaescalera in Baños de Ebro. It comes from a 2.8-hectare plot planted in 1981 on sandy and gravel soils at 120 meters above sea level. This year, it's 70% Tempranillo, 25% Graciano and 5% white Viura, with more Graciano this time, which possibly contributes to the seriousness of the wine. It comes in at 13.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.42, very good and balanced parameters that imply freshness. It matured in 3,500-liter oak vats for 12 months. It's perfumed and elegant, floral and herbal, with dark fruit and a medium to full-bodied palate with very fine tannins and great harmony.”