2024 RIOJA BLANCO Sierra de Toloño, Lea & Sandeman

RIOJA BLANCO

2025 Sierra de Toloño

IN STOCK
Grapes Viura
Colour White
Origin Spain, Rioja
Other Low-alcohol, Certified Organic
District Rioja Alavesa
ABV 11.50%

Sandra Bravo is one of the most energetic and devoted winemakers you will ever meet and her upbeat attitude is clear in her wines, brimming with positive energy. This white is an absolute joy, always sleek and very sophisticated. Always delightfully light in alcohol - Sandra's Blanco has a fresh mineral, almost salty tangy drive that steals the show, a really easy to love and surprisingly perky White Rioja. L&S (Mar 2026)

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We offer free nationwide delivery on all orders over £150 (excluding Highlands & Islands). Express Delivery options also available.

Sierra de Toloño

Sandra Bravo is a seriously exciting winemaker. Working with some of the highest altitude vineyards in Rioja – with plots of very old vines, she is hunting out freshness and purity. Having travelled the world and made wines in Bordeaux, Tuscany, New Zealand and California she has returned to Spain with her eyes wide open and a brave ambition to show the different expressions of Rioja. It does not all have to be blended and heavily-oaked any more. Her delicately shaped – intensely pure wines are a revelation. With a range now of different releases each profiling a particular vineyard or a particular grape variety she is making some of the most drinkable and delicious wines in the region. No surprises she was crowned the 2019 ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ by Rioja expert and wine critic Tim Atkin MW.

Sandra originally comes from Rioja, and returned there to start this project. 2012 was the first vintage. Sandra has trained in Bordeaux, Chianti, Marlborough, California, and worked in two of the larger wineries in Priorat, where she was influenced by Ricard Rofes, (now in charge of Scala Dei). She has returned home to make a Rioja which reflects the land and climate of this particular corner of Rioja Alavesa. The wine comes from old goblet trained vines grown on calcareous clay are at 650m in Labastida - one of the highest vineyards of the Rioja region. The mountains of the Sierra de Toloño protect the vines from northerly winds and create a special microclimate, cold because it is so high, but dry with the Mediterranean influence despite being so far north. All this is perfect for the grapes to ripen fully over a long time in the bright light but relatively cool temperatures - the ripeness comes slowly, retaining natural acidity. The grapes are harvested into 15kg boxes, sorted at the vine, and taken to the winery in Laguardia. Here Sandra does a very conservative vinification, with a cold soak to start with to preserve the freshness of the fruit, and then only a gentle pigeage. After the vinification the wine is aged just six months in neutral French oak barrels, and bottled without fining of filtration. From the 2013 vintage Sandra has also been working with amphorae, distancing herself even further from the oaky traditions of Rioja.

Summer Series | BBQ collection

The Summer BBQ Selection: Smoke, Fat, and Acid
Cooking over a live charcoal fire presents a highly specific set of culinary challenges. The combination of intense heat, rendered fat, and woodsmoke quickly overwhelms simple, delicate wines. A great barbecue wine requires architectural tension to cut through the smoke and cleanse the palate. Furthermore, when you are opening several bottles over the course of a long summer afternoon, paying a premium for a famous appellation rarely makes financial sense.
We have assembled a 12-bottle collection specifically engineered for the grill, deliberately seeking out the rebels and the rule-breakers just outside the rigid lines of the AOC system. This mixed case delivers exceptional pedigree and immense character without the postcode tax.
Inside the Summer BBQ Case:

  • 2024 GAUDOU EXCEPTION MALBEC Fabrice Durou: Declassified for absolute stylistic freedom. A remarkably fresh, 12% ABV Malbec brimming with supple blue fruit and damson, without the heavy Cahors tannins.

  • 2023 TALENTO Monastrell Ecologico Ego Bodegas: Sourced from dry-farmed bush vines in Jumilla, offering a plush, vibrant dark cherry compote balanced by brilliant natural acidity.

  • 2024 VIN DE PAYS MEDITERRANEE Grenache IGP Domaine de Cristia: A pure, unadorned 100% Grenache from a Chateauneuf-du-Pape master. Concrete-aged for a crunchy, vibrant red fruit profile that takes a light chill beautifully.

  • 2022 OLD VINE ZINFANDEL Scotto Family Vineyards: A masterful departure from syrupy California Zinfandel. Restrained at 13.5% ABV, delivering pure blackberry and subtle mocha with a bright, refreshing acid lift.

  • 2023 CHIANTI Haurio Colli Senesi Mormoraia: Organically farmed Sangiovese from the hills near Siena. Sleek and open-knit, offering fresh woodland fruits, sweet aniseed, and polished, gentle tannins.

  • 2022 LES MICHELLES Domaine Les Deux Cols: A highly complex blend of 80-year-old Carignan, Grenache, and Syrah. Held back two years in the cellar to soften its powdery grip, it is now drinking perfectly for the grill.

  • 2025 CORTESE Bricco Bartolomeo La Colombera: A flawless, mineral-driven alternative to Gavi from the Colli Tortonesi. Bursting with nectarine and blossom, framed by zesty acidity and a stony finish.

  • 2024 GRENACHE BLANC-VIOGNIER Champs des Lys Domaine La Croix Belle: Viognier provides aromatic apricot weight, while Clairette acts as a structural backbone. A masterclass in Languedoc blending built for the summer table.

  • 2025 RIOJA BLANCO Sierra de Tolono: Crafted from ancient, high-altitude vines by Sandra Bravo. Un-oaked, tense, and crystalline, skipping the heavy vanilla of the past for pure, electric minerality.

  • 2023 MACON VINZELLES Cave des Grands Crus Blancs: A phenomenal value, unwooded white Burgundy. Shows classic drive and weight, delivering clean, lifted pear and solid peach fruit.

  • JEAN-LOUIS DENOIS Methode Traditionelle Chardonnay-Pinot Noir Brut: A fiercely independent, high-altitude Pyrenean fizz that easily rivals true Champagne. Bone-dry, structurally precise, and beautifully autolytic.

  • 2024 FEUDO Chiaretto Riviera del Garda Classico La Feliciana: A flawless, diaphanous pale pink from Lake Garda. Wild cherry and hedgerow flowers are driven by a highly refreshing, saline finish.

  • For full delivery details see our Delivery page.
  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
  • Order & Collect from any of our 5 London shops. Order by Midnight for collection the next working day from 11am.
  • Private wine storage: we offer a full In Bond and Duty Paid private wine storage service - find out more here.

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