Rosalejo

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Soils of the raña Rosalejo formed during the Pliocene, approximately 5 Ma ago, over siliceous and granite bedrock dating to 350 Ma.
• Scree fields and boulder runs of angular quartzite, formed by frost shattering, are characteristic landscape features of the Montes de Toledo.
• Rosalejo, at 650 m elevation, on the SW-facing slope of the sierra de Sevilleja (1,279 m), receives the first Atlantic weather systems after they cross Portugal and Extremadura.
• The Cijara reservoir, covering 6,556 ha at 2.9 km from the DOP, moderates local temperatures: warmer winters and cooler summers.

• Green practices include: removal of lateral shoots and cluster thinning; in the winery: grape refrigeration, bunch selection, and temperature-controlled fermentation.
• Maximum yields capped at 6,000–8,000 kg/ha (vs. 16,000 for IGP Castilla), with hand harvesting and pre-fermentation maceration to concentrate polyphenols.

• High-intensity ruby red colour (min. 8 absorbance units), virtually unchanged over time, linked to the wine's low pH.
• Fresh profile with a minimum total acidity of 4.5 g/l, red fruit aromas, and round tannins; no perception of heat on the palate despite a warm climate.

• Soils low in K and Ca → free organic acids → high total acidity and low pH → stable ruby red colour and slow ageing.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the the specification.

Sources

• National pliego de condiciones (PDF)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-ES-02880
• Official trade body site — Bodegas Eldoze (DOP Rosalejo)