Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine

Finca Museum Winery – Valladolid, Cigales DO

Finca Museum Winery – From Abandoned Vines to Timeless Elegance

Monica Tindall 

In the heart of the Cigales Designation of Origin lies a winery like no other, where century-old vines whisper their secrets of the past, and the art of winemaking weaves a timeless tale of dedication and passion. Finca Museum Winery was born out of a vision to expand the family-owned business, Grupo Barón de Ley, beyond the renowned Rioja DOC in the late 1990s. The search for the perfect terroir led them to fall in love with the Cigales Designation of Origin, a land with a rich wine-growing heritage and century-old vineyards abandoned due to a lack of winery projects in the area.

Finca Museum – Cigales, Valladolid

At the heart of this ambitious project the family sought the assistance of agricultural engineer Tomás Jurío, and together they passionately championed the importance of the vineyards at Finca Museum. Over the years, the family meticulously sought out little treasures, identifying and acquiring vineyards from local wine growers. Today, Finca Museum boasts an impressive estate covering over 200 hectares, a testament to the family’s dedication.

Located just a stone’s throw away from Valladolid and adjacent to Ribera del Duero, the Cigales region enjoys a unique continental climate with Atlantic influences. The extreme temperature fluctuations, long harsh winters, and hot, dry summers create the perfect environment for grapes to develop their polyphenols and aromatic properties. The average altitude of 800 meters above sea level adds another dimension to the region’s distinct character.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Finca Museum Entrance – Cigales DO
Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
The Grand Driveway

The Team

Heading the winemaking team is the masterful oenologist and technical director, Lluís Laso. With a winemaking philosophy deeply rooted in terroir, Laso draws upon each grape variety’s character and the Cigales region’s unique charm. His expertise, honed through a prolific career in neighbouring wine regions, makes him an invaluable asset to the winery since joining in April 2022.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Lluís Laso – Finca Museum Oenologist & Technical Director

Javier Vicente, the head of viticulture, is at the heart of the operation. With over 20 years of experience and a passion for the craft, Javier oversees and directs the vineyard work, ensuring the grapes receive the utmost care and attention. Manual labour and organic conditioning with sheep manure sustain the vines, resulting in low yields per hectare, yet the quality of the fruit is unparalleled.

The Vineyards

The vineyards surrounding Finca Museum, established in the late 90s, boast a centenary oak tree standing tall amidst the lush greenery, symbolising the fusion of the past and future. Growing atop a layer of pebbles that absorb and release heat, the vines, most over 50 years old (and some pushing a century!), produce grapes of remarkable quality. Every step of the vineyard work is done by hand, and the grapes are gently transported in small boxes for meticulous sorting.

Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Century-old Grape Vines
Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Century-old Vines & Pebbled Ground – A Reminder of the Ancient River That Once Ran Here

The Winery

The winery is presided over by Vinea, a striking bronze sculpture by Víctor Ochoa, representing the essence of the old vineyards—youthful in spirit yet steeped in history. Art adorns the walls, creating a unique ambience in the tasting room, where visitors can savour the wines while immersed in creativity and surrounded by stunning vineyard views.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Vinea Stands at the Entrance to the Winery

Finca Museum’s winemaking philosophy revolves around maximum respect for the grapes’ natural attributes. The vinification process begins with careful grape selection, followed by fermentation in small tanks, ensuring precise control over the transformation of juice into wine. These uniquely shaped tanks maximise the contact between the must and the skins, enhancing the final product’s complexity.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Inside the Winery

Embodying one of the region’s most extensive cask-ageing cellars, Finca Museum takes its time with its wines, subjecting them to a lengthy ageing process. The cellar houses an impressive 5,000 barrels, predominantly French oak, contributing to the wines’ distinct character. The recent addition of three French oak foudres, with a capacity of 5,000 litres each, elevates the craftsmanship of select wines, including La Renacida and Numerus Clausus.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Cellar
Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Tasting Wines from Finca Museums’ French Oak Foudres

Finally, the bottle cellar provides the perfect resting place for the wines. Here, the reds are lovingly rounded and polished until they reach their peak, ready to delight discerning palates worldwide.

Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Finca Museum Wines

Finca Museum Wines

Now that we know the importance of these vineyards, it’s time to taste some wine!

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Tasting Room

Clarete or Rosé Wine

You know my fondness for rosé, and Finca Museum offers several labels. In fact, Cigales DO is celebrated across Spain for its unique production – here, rosé is made by fermenting red and white grapes simultaneously! Technically, it’s not officially rosé but instead referred to locally as clarete, a reference to its pale colour.

Museum Rosé 2022 Cigales

Museum Rosé 2022 Cigales is a pale pink wine with floral aromas of stone fruits, peach, and green apples. It is fresh, mineral, and has good acidity on the palate, with a long finish of floral and fruity notes. It is easy to drink but has good intensity, with a voluminous mouthfeel that finishes with crispness. It is a wine for fun and good times and pairs well with seafood paella, white meat, and tapas. It’s an excellent choice for Southeast Asia offering versatility in food pairings and an excellent mate to our warm climate. And, the good news is, it will soon be available in Malaysia. Keep your eye out for it in upcoming months at restaurants with good wine lists or seek it out directly with Dionysus Asia.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Museum Rosé 2022 Cigales (Coming soon to Malaysia!)
Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Seafood is Often a Great Match

La Musas 2022

La Musas 2022 is a limited-edition (only 5000 bottles) dry rosé wine from Finca Museum made from a blend of Grenache, Tempranillo, Albillo Mayor, and Verdejo. The wine has a pale pink hue and a medium-intensity nose with notes of aromatic herbs, white flowers, stone fruit, bread, and cream. The palate is full-bodied, with a fresh finish and refreshing acidity. The wine has a more mineral character and a touch of salinity than other rosés, and it pairs well with sushi, fish, light pasta, and white meat or oily fish. Imagine yourself on a warm summer evening, sitting by the water with a glass of La Musas 2022 in your hand. The wine’s delicate aromas of herbs and flowers will transport you to a faraway place, while its refreshing acidity will cleanse your palate after each bite of food.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
La Musas 2022
Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Salmorejo – Traditional Chilled Soup from the South

Vinea Rosado 2022

Vinea Rosado 2022 currently graces the Malaysian market, but be warned that once this wine runs out of stock, it’s gone for good, as this is the last of its line. However, do note, that as mentioned above, Museum Rosé will soon move in, so you you won’t have to wait too long for this unique style of wine. The rosé’s composition of Tempranillo and Verdejo delivers a pale salmon hue. On the nose, it offers notes of ripe red fruit, white flowers, and baking spices. The palate is well-balanced, with the presence of strawberry, raspberry, and citrus. The wine is also slightly tart, which gives it a refreshing finish. It’s a versatile wine that can be enjoyed independently or with food. It pairs well with grilled meats, seafood, and cheese.

Cigales DO, Valladolid, Claretes vs Rose Wine
Vinea Rosado 2022
Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Seafood & Cheese – A Perfect Match

Red Wine

La Renacida 2021

The grapes for La Renacida 2021 come from 100-year-old vines that had been abandoned for many years. The vineyard was restored over a period of five years, and the wine is named “La Renacida” (The Reborn or The Revenant – just like the Leonardo DiCaprio movie) because of this. The field blend of Tempranillo, Grenache Tinta, Grenache Tintorera, Grenache Gris, Mencía, Albillo Mayor and Verdejo is fermented and aged in French oak foudres. The pale cherry red wine has an intense, complex and delicate nose of red fruits, floral notes and orange peel. It is large but agile in the mouth, with a lot of freshness and good acidity. Round, subtle and delicate, with low tannin intensity. The notes of red fruits and minerals return in the aftertaste. Decanter World Wine Awards awarded it 93 points. It’s an ideal wine to drink with a cheese plate and served a little cooler than traditional red wine.

Finca Museum Winery, Spain
La Renacida 2021

Vinea, Crianza Tempranillo 2022

Vinea, Crianza Tempranillo 2022 features the symbol of Finca Museum winery on its label – Vinea. The sculpture found at the entrance of the building and throughout the “Museum” symbolises the youthful vigour of vines with the wisdom of maturity, represented by the face of an older adult on a young woman’s body, always facing the sun and connected to the vine’s tendrils. It’s crafted from 100% Tempranillo grapes sourced from vineyards aged 20 to 40 years old. It undergoes 12 months of aging in a blend of 70% American oak and 30% French oak barrels, focusing on using mostly used barrels to enhance freshness and fruitiness. The wine presents a cherry-red hue with purple undertones and reveals aromas of red and ripe fruits, accompanied by subtle minerals, smoke, coconut, mocha, and balsamic notes. Its palate offers an elegant and velvety texture, marked by sweet tannins, leading to a long and expressive finish. It is versatile, easy to pair, and complements various dishes, including meat, fish, cheese, and cured meats.

Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Vinea, Crianza Tempranillo 2022
Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Jamón ibérico from Dehesa Barón de Ley

Finca Museum Reserva 2019 Cigales

Finca Museum Reserva 2019 Cigales is a flagship wine with a unique distinction in Spain – all its vineyards are between 40 and 80 years old, a rarity in the country where 30 years is already considered old. This age of vines leads to lower production but higher quality. Unlike Ribera del Duero, which replanted younger vines for larger yields, Cigales preserves its old vines, setting it apart. The wine’s production involves meticulous steps from manual picking to fermentation in stainless steel vats, followed by aging for 14 months in French oak barrels. The result is a deep cherry-coloured wine with a nose of red fruits and hints of salty liquorice, ginger, and minerals. Its powerful and silky taste culminates with toasted hazelnut and exotic wood nuances in a long finish. Silky, elegant, and full of character, this wine pairs excellently with game, red meat, and veal, offering a delightful experience to any wine enthusiast.

Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Finca Museum Reserva 2019 Cigales
Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Lamb Grilled Over Vine Twigs (Sarmiento) – A Signature of the Region

Museum Numerus Clausus 2019

They say that one 100-year-old wine bush goes into making each bottle of Museum Numerus Clausus 2019, a premium wine that offers a limited edition of only 6000 numbered bottles annually. It is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes sourced from single centennial vines with low yields and is only produced in excellent vintages. The wine undergoes meticulous aging for 16 months in new French oak barrels, followed by an additional 12 months in foudre to achieve perfect integration. The result is a bright and deep dark claret wine with ruby flecks, boasting aromas of ripe fruit, minerals, balsamic, and spices. Its concentrated and balanced taste reveals notes of blackberry, cranberry, creamy oak, hazelnuts, and toffee. With fine tannins and a long, expressive finish, this wine showcases the authentic essence of Tempranillo. It pairs exceptionally well with all types of red meat, lamb, and game. Museum Numerus Clausus 2019 is a remarkable expression of the limited number, embodying excellence and craftsmanship in every bottle.

Finca Museum Winery, Spain
Museum Numerus Clausus 2019

Finca Museum Winery – Cigales DO

Finca Museum Winery is a testament to the power of history, tradition, and passion. From its humble beginnings in the late 90s to its current position as a beacon of excellence in the Cigales region, the winery embodies the essence of its century-old vineyards. Crafted with utmost care and guided by a profound respect for the grape, their wines transport connoisseurs on a journey through time and tradition. The legacy of Finca Museum lives on, continuing to inspire wine enthusiasts with each bottle uncorked.

Read more about Finca Museum here and find some of their labels in Malaysia here with Dionysus Asia.

Finca Museum Winery
Carretera Cigales Corcos, Km 3, 47270 Cigales, Valladolid, Spain
+34 983 58 10 29
*Winery visits and tastings can be arranged Monday to Friday with prior reservation.

Find more recommendations for gourmet travel in Spain here and stay up-to-date with our latest international finds here and here.

One Comment

  1. Lamb grilled over vine twigs sounds good!

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