Amaren is produced from plots located around the winery – Samaniego and the north of Villabuena de Álava and Leza. The demanding level that is set in Amaren requires that all the wines are produced in limited quantities. Vine plants are composed of small clusters which make perfect ripening possible with a high concentration of nuances. A wine with great aromatic intensity and elegance.
Bright clean yellow color. On the nose ripe fruit, stone fruit, citrus with hints of tropical fruits. Noticeable pastry and buttery characters coming from the batônnage. Pleasant chalky notes that showcase the clay-calcareous terroir along with additional complexity thanks to the wood fermentation. Tremendously fresh thanks to the acidity that the combination of the diffrent white varieties provide.
Stone fruit with citrus notes and tropical flavors are accompanied with an enjoyable enveloping and unctuous mouthfeel that shows the labor intensive stirring of the lees. Very long finish with saline hints that perfectly match the chalky-clay soils of the Leza area from where the grapes are sourced.
Pasta, rice dishes, white meats with light sauces, roasted or grilled fish, seafood, roasted vegetables, foie-gras.
"A pretty, vibrant and fresh white from Rioja with green apples and pears and some lime undertones. Medium-bodied with bright fruit and a vivid finish. Some cream at the end. Drink now."
- James Suckling (October 2020), 92 pts
Founded in 1995, Bodegas Amaren is the second project of Juan Luís Cañas, owner and manager of Bodegas Luís Cañas.
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"Juan Luis Cañas makes this sweetly wooded blanco from a combination of Viura and 15% Malvasía grapes. White flower and vanilla spice aromas segue into a palate with racy acidity, citrus and wet stone flavours and a sappy, dry, refreshing finish. 2020-23."
"(all new French oak) Limpid yellow-gold. An expansive bouquet evokes fresh melon, Meyer lemon, peach nectar and buttered toast, with a smoky mineral quality emerging as the wine opens up. Juicy and energetic, offering densely packed orchard and citrus fruit and sweet butter flavors and a subtle touch of vanilla. Shows impressive energy and mineral lift on the penetrating, highly persistent finish, which features a sexy floral quality and a mineral flourish.- Josh Raynolds"
"The barrel-fermented 2016 Blanco Fermentado en Barrica is a classical blend of Viura with 15% Malvasía Riojana, aged with intense work with the lees for ten months. It has plenty of character and is a bit leesy, with a reductive personality. It combines some creamy notes and citrus freshness. The palate is medium-bodied with good freshness and a serious profile. 20,000 bottles were filled in September 2017.- Luis Gutiérrez"
"A blend of 85% Viura and 15% Malvasia, the 2016 Rioja Barrel Fermented Blanco was, you guessed it, fermented and aged in barrel, all of which were new. It has a rock star nose of lime, white flowers, and honeyed, flinty minerality as well as a medium-bodied, richly textured, balanced style on the palate. The new oak is hardly noticeable, and the wine stays clean and balanced. This is one seriously delicious drink."
"Light, bright yellow. An expressive, highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh pear, tangerine, ginger and honeysuckle, with a minerally element adding vibrancy and lift. Sappy and broad on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering juicy, deeply concentrated citrus and orchard fruit flavors plus a hint of smokiness. Shows intense mineral and floral character on the clinging finish, which shows excellent tenacity. - Josh Raynolds"
"The 2011 Barrel Fermented White is fermented and aged for eight months in oak barrels and has a clean and precise nose with notes of pear, chamomile, pollen and fennel. The medium to full-bodied palate shows ripe flavors but plenty of acidity, in a wine that is both big and delicate. It should age well. Drink 2014-2017. - Luis Gutierrez"
"(85% viura and 15% malvasia): Light yellow. Waxy pear and orange pith aromas show very good power, with a bright mineral overlay adding energy. Incisive and uncompromisingly dry on the palate, showing broad but nicely focused flavors of citrus fruits, pear skin and honeysuckle. Finishes silky and quite long, leaving candied ginger and honey flavors in its wake."
