We are extremely proud to introduce to you the wines of UKAN.
UKAN is a newcomer to the Rioja scene although they have some serious Rioja pedigree. Koldo Eguren is the beating heart of UKAN. He is the fifth-generation of the Eguren Rioja dynasty. The Eguren family are behind some megastars of the Rioja wine scene, such as Sierra Cantabria, known for making some of the finest terroir driven wines Rioja has to offer. UKAN, under the stewardship of Koldo, is the latest evolution from the Eguren family.
The winery was created in 2018 and is focussed on the vineyards surrounding the village of Laguardia, located in the Rioja Alavesa and well known for producing top quality grapes. The wines are a tribute to the village itself and also the traditions of the Alavesa region. For example, the wines have some carbonic maceration, a long-standing practice in the winemaking of Rioja Alavesa. UKAN itself is a Basque phrase that translates to "What we have" and this is the guiding principle of the winery - to make the best wine they can with the raw materials that they have.
Unlike traditional Rioja they follow a concept that will be more familiar to Bordeaux drinkers - they create a "Grand Vin" - UKAN - and a second wine - Senderos de UKAN (Senderos literally means pathway, translating as "The path to UKAN").
Following this philosophy, the wines vary in their make-up from vintage to vintage, with the Grand Vin showcasing the best that the vintage has to offer. Koldo and his team are also learning more about what they have on their hands and are applying this new knowledge each year. For example, UKAN 2022 contains some Graciano from a single plot - the first time this grape has made an appearance in their wines.
We got on the path to UKAN during our recent trip to Rioja in our role as ambassadors for Rioja wines in the UK. The Rioja Consejo Regulador were keen to show us a mix of traditional wineries and up and coming producers. On the trip were some of the leading independent wine merchants in the UK - every one of them was blown away with what we tasted at UKAN. Old Chapel Cellars is delighted to have started importing these wines into the UK for the first time. Here's some information on the wines:
"Senderos" is crafted from the youngest vines, though they are anything but young, averaging between 30 and 70 years old. We have secured a small parcel of the 2020 vintage, please see here.
Tasting Notes: 100% Tempranillo. These “youngest” vines, aged 30-70 years, deliver top-quality, dense fruit. Fermented in concrete vats with a touch of old oak, this wine is exceptionally pure, with mineral notes and a robust tannic structure. An excellent choice.
Price: £26.99
Price: £50
We are supremely grateful for UKAN letting us take some of their library stock and delighted to be able to offer you this unique opportunity to be able to secure some. Our entire allocation is 54 bottles.
