Description

Corazón de Lago | DO Rioja, Spain

Corazón de Lago is the most emblematic and historically significant wine produced by Bodegas Lecea, crafted in the medieval wine quarter of San Asensio, Rioja Alta. Produced from 100% Tempranillo, this wine is a tribute to the ancient Rioja winemaking traditions preserved by the Lecea family for generations.

Unlike modern Rioja wines, Corazón de Lago is made using a completely ancestral process recovered from centuries-old methods once common throughout Rioja. The grapes are hand harvested, foot trodden and pressed in an original stone hand press, exactly as wines were produced before mechanisation. The wine undergoes traditional carbonic maceration in open tanks, creating a fresher, more vibrant and expressive style of Rioja.

The entire process takes place within the extraordinary 16th-century underground caves and calados of Bodegas Lecea, where naturally cool and humid conditions allow the wine to evolve slowly while preserving freshness and purity. The winery continues to use concrete vats, traditional tools and manual handling methods to maintain authenticity and connection to Rioja heritage.

On the nose, Corazón de Lago reveals bright aromas of crushed strawberries, red cherries and raspberry layered with violets, fresh herbs and subtle earthy undertones. The palate is juicy, vibrant and incredibly fresh, with silky tannins, energetic acidity and a beautifully pure expression of Tempranillo fruit.

Rather than being heavily oaked or powerful, this wine captures the flavour of old Rioja before industrialisation — lively, rustic, authentic and full of soul.

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🍇 Key Details

• Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja (Spain)
• Classification: Red Wine
• Grape: 100% Tempranillo
• Winemaking: Foot trodden and hand pressed in ancient stone press
• Vinification: Traditional carbonic maceration in open tanks
• Fermentation: Concrete vats
• Style: Fresh, artisan, expressive
• Alcohol: 14% Vol.
• Serving Temperature: 14–16°C
• Contains Sulfites

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🍷 Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Bright ruby red with violet reflections
• Aroma: Crushed strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, violets and fresh herbs
• Palate: Juicy and vibrant with silky tannins, lively acidity and a fresh mineral finish

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🍽 Food Pairing

• Charcuterie boards
• Roast chicken
• Grilled pork
• Rioja-style chorizo dishes
• Mushroom croquetas
• Semi-cured Manchego cheese

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💎 Why We Love It

One of the purest expressions of old Rioja tradition — handmade, foot-trodden and bursting with freshness, energy and authenticity.

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About the Producer

Bodegas Lecea is a historic family winery located in the legendary Barrio de las Bodegas in San Asensio, Rioja Alta. The Lecea family has dedicated generations to preserving the ancient traditions of Rioja winemaking while continuing to produce wines rooted deeply in local history and terroir.

The winery is famous for its extraordinary network of more than 300 metres of underground caves and calados dating back to the 16th century, still actively used today for wine ageing and storage under naturally stable conditions of humidity and temperature.

Bodegas Lecea is one of the very few Rioja producers still practicing traditional techniques such as grape foot-treading, hand pressing and fermentation in concrete vats. Every year the family even recreates the ancient grape-stomping festival used to produce Corazón de Lago, allowing visitors to experience how Rioja wines were once made centuries ago.

Today the winery is led by siblings Luis, Jorge, Estela and Lidia Lecea, who continue combining historical authenticity with small-scale artisan winemaking. Their wines focus on freshness, vineyard expression and preserving the cultural heritage of Rioja.

Corazón de Lago is the ultimate symbol of this philosophy — a living piece of Rioja history in bottle form.

Explore more in our Red wine collection.