Dominio del Challao Virna 2022

Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant, but best to open it half an hour before service.

Located in Labastida, in Rioja Alavesa, Domaine Challao was founded by Manu Michelini, a young Argentine winemaker. The winery owns approximately 6 hectares of vineyards spread across a series of small parcels in the higher areas on the Basque side of the Ebro River. The name Challao comes from an indigenous term from the Uco Valley meaning "place where things grow."

Virna is a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha with minor additions of other indigenous white varieties such as Mazuelo, Viura, and Garnacha Blanca, selected and harvested from the lower part of the Angelita vineyard. Here, the vines are cultivated with minimal intervention and according to biodynamic standards. After harvesting and spontaneous vinification in concrete vats, the finished wine ages for 10 months in oak barrels and another 10 months in concrete before bottling and release.

The resulting wine is fruity, expressive, and exuberant, with a fresh and lively aromatic profile revealing notes of ripe red berries, herbaceous notes, and orange zest. On the palate, it is elegant, approachable, and juicy. It has a medium body and fine, chalky tannins. The finish is long and gently herbaceous. It is a youthful and balanced wine, perfect for pairing with charcuterie and cheese platters, and pasta dishes with meat sauces.