BODEGAS BENJAMIN DE ROTHSCHILD & VEGA SICILIA, MACÁN

RIOJA, SPAIN

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild said "in order to put the Rothschild name on it, it [has] to be the best." A pioneering spirit seems to be a Rothschild family trait, and one that can't be quelled. The family has made their name by creating some of the world's most sought-after wines-and not just from Lafite Rothschild, their renowned first growth. Their philosophy of excellence has contributed to a who's who of the wine world elite including Duhart-Milon in Pauillac, L'Evangile of Pomerol and Almaviva in Chile, among others, and the family shows no signs of slowing down. In 2003, Benjamin de Rothschild partnered with another wine family that needs no introduction: the Álvarez family of Tempos Vega Sicilia. For today's offer, we have the two newest releases of this ultimate collaboration, the 2014 Macán and the 2015 Macán Clásico.

This joint venture behind Macán, the focus of today's offer, was born of a shared dream to apply winemaking know-how and expertise acquired through years of shared experience to craft exceptional, terroir-driven wines within Spain's most prestigious region, Rioja. Before actualizing this dream, the teams spent five years studying the area and quietly acquiring vineyards; the first grape harvest was 2009 and the first bottles were released in 2013 (and sold out within weeks). Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia (BR&VS) now owns 92 hectares of vineyard land in Rioja, and all are located on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria, north of the Ebro river. Most plots are small, allowing the winemaking team maximum control over grape selection, and vineyards range in age from 25 to 80 years old. Rioja has more than 60,000 hectares of vineyards, but all BR&VS vineyards are within 10 kilometers of the village of San Vicente in Rioja Alta-the goal of Macán is to tell the story of this specific terroir that has met the Rothschild and Álvarez families' stringent quality standards.

In true Bordeaux fashion, BR&VS decided to create a "Grand Vin" (Macán) and a "Second Wine" (Macán Clásico) with each vintage, instead of the more typical Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva structure often seen within the region. Both wines are 100% Tempranillo, but whereas plots used for Macán, the flagship, show the most aging potential, Macán Clásico is immediately expressive and easy to enjoy young. The purity of the fruit shines in both examples, thanks in part to the decision to eschew aging in American oak (common in Rioja) in favor of the tighter grains of French oak (two years for Macán and 15 months for Clásico). As of 2017, Macán's winery is fully operational, and we can expect to see them continue to innovate within Rioja with the backing of quality vineyards and two storied, perfectionistic winemaking families.

As much of the Rothschild's star-studded stable runs upward of $150, their Macán and Macán Clásico represent the prestige and excellence deserving of their namesake from an exceptional terroir - that of San Vincente de la Sonsierra in Rioja Alta -- for a relative value. We're offering both wines at a discounted Concierge price for one week only, and if you haven't had the opportunity to try these wines already, you won't want to miss out. Sereys de Rothschild said “in order to put the Rothschild name on it, it [has] to be the best.” A pioneering spirit seems to be a Rothschild family trait, and one that can’t be quelled. The family has made their name by creating some of the world’s most sought-after wines—and not just from Lafite Rothschild, their renowned first growth. Their philosophy of excellence has contributed to a who’s who of the wine world elite including Opus One from Napa, L’Evangile of Pomerol and Álmaviva in Chile, among others, and the family shows no signs of slowing down. In 2003, Benjamin de Rothschild partnered with another wine family that needs no introduction: the Álvarez family of Tempos Vega Sicilia. For today’s offer, we have the two newest releases of this ultimate collaboration, the 2014 Macan and the 2015 Macan Clasico.

This joint venture behind Macán, the focus of today’s offer, was born of a shared dream to apply winemaking know-how and expertise acquired through years of shared experience to craft exceptional, terroir-driven wines within Spain’s most prestigious region, Rioja. Before actualizing this dream, the teams spent five years studying the area and quietly acquiring vineyards; the first grape harvest was 2009 and the first bottles were released in 2013 (and sold out within weeks). Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia (BR&VS) now owns 92 hectares of vineyard land in Rioja, and all are located on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria, north of the Ebro river. Most plots are small, allowing the winemaking team maximum control over grape selection, and vineyards range in age from 25 to 80 years old. Rioja has more than 60,000 hectares of vineyards, but all BR&VS vineyards are within 10 kilometers of the village of San Vicente in Rioja Alta—the goal of Macán is to tell the story of this specific terroir that has met the Rothschild and Álvarez families’ stringent quality standards.  

In true Bordeaux fashion, BR&VS decided to create a “Grand Vin” (Macán) and a “Second Wine” (Macán Clásico) with each vintage, instead of the more typical Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva structure often seen within the region. Both wines are 100% Tempranillo, but whereas plots used for Macán, the flagship, show the most aging potential, Macán Clásico is immediately expressive and easy to enjoy young. The purity of the fruit shines in both examples, thanks in part to the decision to eschew aging in American oak (common in Rioja) in favor of the tighter grains of French oak (two years for Macán and 15 months for Clásico). 

As of 2017, Macán’s winery is fully operational, and we can expect to see them continue to innovate within Rioja with the backing of quality vineyards and two storied, perfectionistic winemaking families. As much of the Rothschild’s star-studded stable runs upward of $150, their Macán and Macán Clásico represent the prestige and excellence deserving of their namesake from an exceptional terroir – that of San Vincente de la de la Sonsierra in Rioja Alta – for a relative value. We’re offering both wines at a discounted Concierge price for one week only, and if you haven’t had the opportunity to try these wines already, you won’t want to miss out.