In the locale known as Yasa de las Cuevas, situated in Calahorra (within La Rioja Oriental), the Mazo family has owned several hectares of vineyards for generations. Today, these vines are nurtured under the stewardship of Carlos, the latest descendant, who is determined to innovate without forsaking the essence of tradition. It is therefore unsurprising that his father was taken aback when Carlos announced his plan to cultivate Garnacha (using vertical trellising) in this vineyard, which had traditionally been planted with Tinto Velasco (a less common variety in the D.O.Ca. Rioja). "My goal is to produce a Garnacha that is both fresh and luscious, with a slightly higher alcohol content than what is typical in the region, yet an alcohol that contributes to its vivacity. I am still striving for that balance of typical Rioja fruit in a wine that also has structure, but does not conform to the conventional aging or reserva styles," Carlos stated in an interview. With these changes, the renowned red wine Erosivo from this winery has been renamed En Voz Baja Nace La Sierra.
The name could not be more fitting for this red wine cultivated in close proximity to the onset of the Agudos mountain range. Here, at an elevation of about 460 meters — in the hamlet of Aldeanueva de Ebro — Carlos and his partner Isabel pour their hearts into En Voz Baja, a winery and personal venture that has been the subject of much discussion for several years. The aim is not to abandon traditional methods, but to enhance them, ensuring high quality and allowing the terroir to express itself unambiguously in each bottle. By eschewing chemical products and adhering to biodynamic practices, Carlos manages to capture a fragment of the area's clayey-iron rich soils, or its continental Mediterranean climate with hot summers and dry winters, in each of his wines.
The whole clusters of En Voz Baja Nace La Sierra are foot-trodden in concrete vats and undergo fermentation with indigenous yeasts for about ten days. After racking and pressing, the wine is transferred to 1,000-liter wooden vats where it will rest for several months.
"I want my wines to be enjoyed leisurely on the beach, not solely reserved for Christmas Eve," asserts Carlos. And he has succeeded admirably. With En Voz Baja Nace La Sierra, a new legacy is born; a new epoch; a formidable red wine.