Amaren, which means “of the mother” in Basque, is a winery or bodega created in the 1990s by famous Rioja producer Bodegas Luis Cañas.
Amaren Winery aims at producing wines of distinctively-high quality and “achieve excellence and pursue perfection”.
The wines are all released under the Rioja DOCa appellation and include: a barrel-fermented white, a Crianza, a vino de autor called ‘Angeles de Amaren’, a Reserva Tempranillo, and a varietal Graciano.
Read on as we taste and review the Amaren wines and learn more about the bodega’s story.
Wines Reviews & Tasting Notes
History
Amaren, referred by its owners as “a mother’s wine”, began with the 1995 vintage as a tribute to Ángeles, the mother of the cellar owner Juan Luis Cañas, who currently manages the whole Luis Cañas group.
AMAREN was the first wine conceived, made and sold by Bodegas Luis Cañas to position itself among the most outstanding wines in Spain.
Ángeles was a tireless worker right up to her death. She devoted her whole life to working on the land and in the winery alongside her husband, Luis Cañas. The producer says that her enthusiastic, kind character is present in every one of the wines.
In 2009, Juan Luis Cañas saw his dream come true, dedicating not just a wine but a whole winery to his mother. Bodegas Amaren were born. The same year, two new wines appeared, always with the family link, the philosophy and love of the vineyard: the signature wine Ángeles de Amaren and the cask-fermented White wine from old vineyards.
Vineyards
Some vines’ average age is very high, reaching comfortably over a hundred years. Old vineyards help achieving a perfect balance thanks to the low yield.
The vines are controlled and directed by the in-house field department agronomists following the guidelines of rational, environmentally friendly viticulture.
All the treatments in the vineyard are restricted to minimally aggressive methods such as the prohibition of the use of herbicides and the use of only organic fertilizers.
The vines selected to make Amaren are planted on slopes or terraced banks, with increases exposure to the sun. Soils are poor reducing yield and increasing concentration.
Many vineyards are small plots barely amounting to a hectare in size.
Philosophy
Bodegas Amaren aims at producing top-quality wines.
Two facts that show how the winery’s commitment to producing fine wines:
- Amaren wines are not made every year. Are only released vintages when the quality of the vines allows to.
- The wines are produced in a limited number of bottles and each year the exact number will vary depending on the necessary quality being provided by the vines.
The harvest, entirely by hand, is conducted under strict control in the vineyard selection.
The grapes from each plot are designated for a different wine depending on the yield, soil type and the location, orientation and age of the vines.
- Grapes are harvested into small plastic crates so that they can be transported in good condition to the winery, avoiding any damage before their reception.
- Once they arrive at the winery they are checked berry by berry on a double sorting table.
- Vinification facilities are modern made up of wooden vats and small stainless steel tanks.
- Ageing of the wines takes place in brand-new casks of French and American oak.
Discover Amaren Introduction Video