VINOS EN VOS BAJA
Aldeanueva de Ebro - Rioja Oriental
“This is another inspiring venture – so much so that Carlos is my young winemaker of the year – working with ten parcels spread over just six hectares in Aldeanueva, Alfaro, Autol, Calahorra, and Rincón de Soto. He started out in a garage in 2012 and has been in his own, very stylish boutique winery since 2020. The focus here is on old vine Garnacha (plus a bit of Calagraño and Tinto Velasco) of remarkable finesse and elegance”
Vinos en Voz Baja (whispering wines) is a tiny project in Aldeanueva just outside Alfaro at the eastern boundary of Rioja, an area now termed ‘La Rioja Oriental’. Winemaker Carlos Mazo is one of a generation of young, thoughtful producers further driving change towards authenticity and vineyard/terroir specificity. His family cultivates local varieties Garnacha (red and grey), Tinta Velasco, Tempranillo, Viura and Pasera across six hectares of eight plots. Work is manual and ecological, without herbicides or pesticides, just as their ancestors did. Fermentations are spontaneous and carried out parcel by parcel. Grapes are foot stomped in small plastic vessels, concrete or open barrels and ageing takes place mainly in used oak. These exceptional wines are achieved without oenological additives and only a minimal dose of sulphur at bottling. MW Tim Atkin anointed Carlos as Rioja Young Winemaker of the Year in 2023, impressed by the elegant, beautifully honest and vibrant wines – the quiet voice of bare bush vines and their long line of keepers.
“...new to me was Carlos Mazo's Vinos en Voz Baja in the Rioja Oriental village of Aldeanueva. This is another inspiring venture – so much so that Carlos is my young winemaker of the year – working with ten parcels spread over just six hectares in Aldeanueva, Alfaro, Autol, Calahorra and Rincón de Soto. He started out in a garage in 2012 and has been in his own, very stylish boutique winery since 2020. The focus here is on old vine Garnacha (plus a bit of Calagraño/Pasera and Tinta Velasco/Graciano de Alfaro) of remarkable finesse and elegance. “I'm trying to change perceptions of the Rioja Oriental,” he told me. “I want to talk about these different villages and explain why they are different.” - Tim Atkin MW, Rioja 2023 Special Report.
THE WINES
Vinos en Voz Baja ‘Costumbres’ Blanco Rioja DOCa (Viura, Garnacha Gris, Pasera)
40% Viura, 20% Garnacha Gris, 10% Tempranillo Blanco and 30% of the almost disappeared native variety, Calagraño (or Pasera locally). Direct pressed to stainless steel where spontaneous ferment begins. The wine is moved to 300 litre used French oak barrels to finish fermenting where it also ages for 8 months.
Vineyards: Planas Altas (1980), Cantarral (1995), Salobral (1997), Retrespesa (2016).
“...Juniper and wild herb aromas segue into a palate that’s leesy, textured and unfiltered, with lots of brisk acidity and wax, pear and citrus flavours.” 92 points - Tim Atkin MW, Rioja 2023 Special Report.
Vinos en Voz Baja ‘Costumbres’ Tinto Rioja DOCa (Garnacha, Tempranillo, Tinta Velasco) 1.5L Magnums Available
80% Garnacha with 10% Tinto Velasco and 10% Tempranillo. The vines are scattered across three hectares all planted with a south eastern exposition. In the winery, the fruit is whole bunch crushed by foot in wooden and concrete vats and fermentation is spontaneous without temperature control. Maceration runs between 5 - 14 days and ageing is in used oak barrels and concrete for 12 months.
Vineyards: Planas Altas (1980), Cantarral (1995), Butrago (1982), Salobral (1997).
“Carlos Mazo's bush-vine Garnacha delivers a generous, vivid wine, with brisk bramble and blueberry aromas and an elegant, finely textured palate. These are Mediterranean influenced vines, to be sure. As the label says, these are small production wines, so don't delay in snapping up this great-value Rioja. 93 points.” - Sarah Jane Evans MW, Decanter Rioja's next generation: The talented winemakers to look out for.
It is layered, freshly fruited and perfumed showing the wonderful quality of Carlos’ vines and vineyards. Seamless and fluid in texture, the fruit weight is backed by clean, buoyant acidity through to a balanced finish. The lively, rich fruit shows no sign of oak allowing the elements of dried flowers, licorice and finer herbal details to shine.
Vinos en Voz Baja ‘Barrio Pastores’ Village Rioja DOCa
100% Garnacha from less than a hectare of vines across two parcels in Aldeanueva de Ebro; Mazaterón (1989) and Montote (1989). The fruit is whole bunch crushed by foot in a wooden foudre and fermentation is spontaneous without temperature control. Maceration runs for 12 days and ageing is in large oak foudre for 10 months.
Vineyards: Mazaterón (1989), Montote (1989).
"There is a new and impressive red 2020 Barrio Pastores, a village wine produced with old Garnacha grafted on Rupestris du Lot roots. It is perfumed and floral with moderate alcohol (13.8%) and with a medium-bodied palate with very fine tannins and a dry, austere finish. It has impressive freshness and a pH of 3.2 with 6.5 grams of acidity. The production tried to replicate the wines from yesteryear, and they achieved a clean, fine, soft, perfumed and happy red through foot-trodden grapes and maturing in large oak vats for 10 months. Superb debut. 2,000 bottles were filled in August 2021. 93 points." - Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker
Vinos en Voz Baja ‘Erosivo’ Single Site Rioja DOCa
This is an extremely rare and special wine, unique in its grape variety make-up and representation of place. It is a new, yet ancient, voice in the realm of Rioja. From 2022 the wine will become known as Nace La Sierra and will include fruit from massal selected Garnacha that Carlos and his father planted a few years ago. This site and its wine will be one of the most important in the continuing realignment of Rioja around terroir, especially for the eastern end of the valley – Rioja Oriental.
70% Tinta Velasco and 30% Calagraño planted between 1950 and 1954 in a 0.56 hectare plot overlooking the Sierra de los Agudos. The fruit is whole bunch crushed by foot in little oak barrels and fermentation is spontaneous without temperature control. Ages 12 months in old 225 litre French oak and concrete.
Vineyards: Yasa de Las Cuevas (1950) & (1954).
“...The top wine from Carlos Mazo’s impressive new venture in the Rioja Oriental hails from a 0.56 hectare field blend of mostly Graciano de Alfaro with Garnacha and Pasera planted in the early 1950s. Scented, detailed and elegant, with fine tannins, a hint of good reduction, plum and wild strawberry fruit and barely a whisper of oak. 94 points.” - Tim Atkin MW, Rioja 2023 Special Report.
