Bodegas Cornelio Dinastia

While attending the APVSA (Association for the Promotion of Wines and Spirits in North America) wine tasting in early September in Washington, DC, I stopped at the table attended by Bodegas Cornelio Dinastia.

Bodegas Cornelio Dinastia is located in Navarrete, Rioja. One of the Bodegas Cornelio Dinastia tag lines is: LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL LIVE!

The focus of Bodegas Cornelio Dinastia is on producing organically grown and organically produced wines. The vineyards and winery put an emphasis on respecting the land and producing quality wines. According to the winery, “Our philosophy ‘Rioja en Cuerpo y Alma’ is to focus on preserving the grapes high quality characteristics, which is why gentle handling of the fruit is the guiding principle of our winery.” The winemaking team uses a combination of modern and traditional techniques to produce the wines.

Bodegas Cornelio is located in the renowned Rioja region of Spain. The winery is owned by José María Sénchez who, at the age of 74, has been involved in winemaking for 60 years – since he was 14. Bodegas Cornelio is a relatively new winery in the Rioja region.

The focus of Bodegas Cornelio is on producing organic wines with their organically farmed vineyards. The winery has 40 hectares of grapes.  The vineyards are located in the DOC Rioja DOC region of Rioja Alta. The average age of the vineyards is 40 plus years.

Tempranillo is the main grape variety in the vineyards. Other grape varieties include Garnacha, Mazuelo also known as Cariñena or Carignan , Graciano and Viura, known as Macabeu.

One technique of the organic vineyards is the use of seaweed. When asked about the use of seaweed, I was told that it is proprietary information. I found the use of seaweed intriguing. Recently while taking a tour in Newport, Rhode Island, our guide mentioned that in the late 1800s, seaweed was used as a fertilizer in home gardens.

Once the grapes reach the Bodegas Cornelio winery, dry ice is used to freeze the fruit. According to the Bodegas Cornelio Dinastia website, “This destroys the structure of the fruit and allows an almost selective extraction of the finest elements of the grape.”

Currently Bodegas Cornelio is producing 10,000 cases of wine.

At the APVSA wine tasting the first Bodegas Cornelio white Vega Vella wine was crisp with light floral notes.

Barrel fermented Vega Vella

The second white Vega Vella wine was barrel fermented. I found that the addition of oak added a bit of complexity to the wine. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied. The finish was crisp.

Viura 2016 was dry and crisp. The grapes for this wine were harvested from a 75 year old vineyard. The wine was a very pale yellow with notes of mineral and a hint of citrus (pineapple.) A pairing suggestion was lobster. Also consider pairing this wine with poultry and a variety of cheeses.

Vega Vella Rioja was a translucent red color. The wine was dry with  bold tannins.

Bodegas Cornelio Crianza 2014 was a red wine produce with Tempranillo. The wine was a translucent red color. The aroma included notes of blueberries and black raspberries.  The taste was of dark red berry fruit and blueberries. Tannins were medium. Consider pairing this wine with  grilled meat.

Watch for Cornelio Bodegas Dinastia wines at your local wine shop.

Address:

Cornelio Bodegas Dinastía
Carralaverde Street Number 3.  Ship 1 plot 5
26370 Navarrete (La Rioja )

Cheers!
Kathy