Sierra de Toloño

  • Rioja Alavesa, Rioja, Spain
Sierra de Toloño

High up in the foothills of the Sierra de Toloño, in Rioja Alavesa, Sandra Bravo works in some of the oldest, and highest altitude vineyards in Rioja, growing Garnacha, Tempranillo, Viura and some Graciano. In her small winery in Villabuena de Álava, where she works with steel, anforas, and old wood, this young winemaker translates the mountainous landscape into pure and expressive wines. She harvests multiple varieties from micro-terroirs over many small plots that together form a fresh, beautiful image of the area. In her own words: “I was studying Engineering and Enology in Rioja and then I was working in wineries of Bordeaux, Tuscany, New Zealand and California. When I came back to Spain, I spent 7 years in Priorat. All that experience gave me an open point of view to make different wines here in Rioja (where I come from). I have to say Priorat really influenced me to make artisanal wines, and to understand that the most important is the vineyard, the vineyard with soul.

When I came back to Rioja in 2012, I decided to make wines respecting what the vineyard give and always looking for freshness. I was in love with this area in Rioja Alavesa, calcareous soil, small plots, Mediterranean herbs and always North wind with high altitude (right in the mountain that gives my name’s project: Sierra de Toloño)... it was perfect! Because all of this my wines are really mineral.

The wines are fresh and not too oaky, I try to do minimal intervention in the cellar, then I can keep wines alive in bottle. In Rivas de Tereso (650m altitude) I have the vineyards of Sierra de Toloño (Red and White) and two more serious wines made with Tempranillo and Garnacha.

 
BOWLER E-Zine Issue 2 | Q1 2021: Regenerative Farming: Scratching at the Surface 
Image Producer PRODUCT Description Country / Region

DB1399-22
Biodynamic
IWR:92 JG:91+
Sierra de Toloño Rioja Blanco
2022
Viura
Co-planted with Tempranillo, 650 meters high in the mountains of Toloño, this Viura becomes a very energetic wine, with salty, and citrus...
Spain

DB3489-23
Organic
Sierra de Toloño Rosado
2023
Tempranillo
60% Tempranillo and 40% Garnach blended from multiple parcels. Vinified seperately in order to get a fresh, and “fluid” wine. A mix of...
Spain

DB1633-21
Organic
IWR:91 TA:92 JG: 92
Sierra de Toloño Rioja Tinto
2021
Tempranillo
The mountains of Sierra de Toloño, with their clay and limestone rocky-soils, are perfect conditions to grow Tempranillo. This is Sandra...
Spain

DB2010-20
Biodynamic
TA:93 JG:92
Sierra de Toloño Raposo Tempranillo
2020
Tempranillo
In this wine, Sandra wanted to pay homage to the people of Villabuena de Álava where she is originally from. The vineyards are located at...
Spain

DB2003-20
Biodynamic
Sierra de Toloño Caminos de Santa Cruz
2020
Tempranillo
This is Sierra de Toloño's ultimate expression of Tempranillo. Vines are planted at 700 meters altitude, (which is relatively high for the...
Spain

DB2003-21
Biodynamic
Sierra de Toloño Caminos de Santa Cruz
2021
Tempranillo
This is Sierra de Toloño's ultimate expression of Tempranillo. Vines are planted at 700 meters altitude, (which is relatively high for the...
Spain

DB9432-22
Organic
Sierra de Toloño La Dula - Garnacha de Altura
2022
Garnacha
100% Garnacha from very old vines (80+) grown on the clay and limestone soils of the Rivas de Tereso (650m elevation). Spontaneous...
Spain