Bodegas San Rafael – Ojos Negros (Pioneers of Black Eyes Valley)

Posted on | September 1, 2008 | 11 Comments

San Rafael is a familiar winery, installed in the Ojos Negros Valley, 38 km from Ensenada, Mexico,  at 820m altitude.

This project was born only with 7 has of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Syrah.

This valley has a very extreme weather, but very good soil and the height and the weather conditions predominating in the valley are relevant for the quality of the grapes. All this elements are important to get fruits with intense tannins and well equilibrated levels of sugar and acidity.

What makes this producers different from the rest? They are the first ones in Ojos   Negros, where nobody believed they could produce anything in a valley that was so different from the other valleys in Ensenada and another thing…they have Pinot Noir vines!

This innovative winery, always finding new production techniques, but keeping the romance of the classic enology, joined the Meritage Association in US, to become the first Mexican winery member, committed to follow the quality and excellence requirements established to produce a world competitive wine.

A Meritage wine is elaborated with the blend of two or more of the noble traditional varietals of Burdeos (Cabernet Sauvigon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot or Carmenere), but none of them can exceed the 90% in the blend.

Passion Meritage 2003 was their first label elaborated with hand picked and carefully selected fruit, product of the passion of the the Hussong family (Ricardo and his son the Enologist Ludwig) pioneers of Ojos Negros valley, where we will see very soon a new Wines region in the north of México.

Keep an eye on Ojos Negros, we will hear a lot about it in the next years!

SOME of their wines:

Passion Meritage
The word Meritage is the harmonic composition of the words Merit and Heritage and it´s a trade mark of the American Meritage Association, that endorses the quality of the wines that have it.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Produtcion: 3,000 bottles/botellas
18 months in French and American Oak Barrels

Deep, bright red color, with intense fruitful aromas of cherry, cassis and raspberry, light tones of butter and caramel. A complex wine with character, balanced and smooth in mouth but with an elegant, strong structure. Better to open it 30 min. before drink it and if possible, decanter it. It has an aging potential. Pair it with red meats and aged cheeses.
Alegria

Blend of Tempranillo 50% and Syrah 50%, aged in French, American and Hungarian Oak barrels for 7 months, a 7,200 bottles production. This is a new wine with joyful fruity and floral aromas like lavender, hibiscus, blueberry and cherry. Intense red magenta color, with a medium acidity and a long lasting, pleasant end. Decanter it 30 min before enjoy it.

Merlot

100% Merlot

Production: 1,800 bottles.

14 months in French, American and Hugarian Oak barrels.

A varietal of intense fruity flavors of black cherry and berries, light black pepper and clover notes. With a soft sweetness in mouth, complemented with an acidity touch. Versatile wine, easy to drink with almost every dish. Decanter is 45 minutes before enjoy it!

Enjoy your wine, looking at the eyes of someone´s special…

Cheers!

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