Bodegas San Rafael, Pioneers of Ojos Negros Valley

San Rafael is a familiar winery, installed in Ojos Negros Valley, 38 km from Ensenada, at 820m altitude.
Here the weather is very extreme, but the soil is great and the height and weather conditions predominating are relevant for the quality of the grapes.
All this elements bring fruits with intense tannins and well equilibrated levels of sugar and acidity.

What makes this producers different from the rest? and why i get all enthusiastic when i speak about this winery? Because they are believers, they dared to dream and go for it in a valley where nobody could imagine they could produce anything.

Ojos Negros  means Black Eyes, the most Mexican and sexy eyes color in the Hispanic inheritage, but they are not as common as we think.  Black eyes are pure, daring, deep and mysterious.

The Ojos Negros valley is completely different from the other valleys in Ensenada, exactly like a pair of big black eyes. Nobody would think that this land could reproduce Vines, but contradicting all the  predictions, this family started their project with only 7 has of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Syrah; Today they have 18 has. of Vineyards including the first Pinot Noirs in México!!

They have now 6 labels in the market: Ojos Negros Gran Reserva, Ojos Negros, Syrah, Passion Meritage, Delirio Cabernet Sauvignon and Alegria.

This innovative winery, is always looking for new production techniques, but keeping the romance of the classic enology.  For this, they joined the Meritage Association in US;  the word Meritage is the harmonic composition of the words Merit and Heritage and it´s a trade mark of the American Meritage  Association that endorses the quality of the wines that have it. Bodega San Rafael became the first Mexican winery member, committed to follow the quality and excellence requirements established to produce a wordly competitive wine.
A Meritage wine is elaborated with the blend of two or more of the noble traditional varietals of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvigon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot or Carmenere), but none of them can exceed the 90% in the blend.

Passion Meritage 2003 was their first label elaborated with hand picked and carefully selected fruit, result of the passion of the the Hussong family  pioneers of Ojos Negros valley, where we will see very soon a new Wine region in the north of México!

Keep an eye on Ojos Negros, we will hear, see and taste a lot about them it in the next years!

Passión Meritage 2006

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Produtcion: 4,944 bottles
18 months in French and American Oak Barrels and 6 months in bottle, the potential of aging of this wine is 5-15 years.
Deep, bright red color, with intense fruity aromas of cherry, cassis and raspberry, light tones of butter and caramel. A complex wine with character, balanced and smooth in mouth but with an elegant, strong structure. Better to open it 45 min. before drink it and if possible, decanter it. It has an aging potential. Pair it with red meats and aged cheeses.

Alegria 2006

Blend of Tempranillo 64% and Cabernet Sauvignon 36%,  aged in French, French and East Europe Oak barrels for 12 months, a 6,000 bottles production. This is  a  wine with intense fresh fruits aromas, regaliz, species like clove, cinnamon and star anise, Strong notes of red jam, vanilla and caramel.   Balanced acidity, persistent tannins, pleasant end. Decanter it 30 min before enjoy it. It has an optimum aging potential of 2 years.

Delirio 2008

Riesling, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc
1,200 bottles production
Delirio is a delicate wine, with intense tropical fruits and citrics aromas. This wine is characterized for the delicate sweetness and elegant freshness. Delirio was made with carefully hand selected grapes, it has a 18 hours maceration, cold fermented in stainless steel containers, keeping the wine without any contact with wood to better present the quality and nobility of this varietals.

Euphoria 2008

100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Production: 2,400 bottles
A vigorous, fruty wine, with intense aromas of fresh Forest fruits and some citrics and floral notes. The intense red color with violet tones represents the youth and freshness of this wine. In mouth you´ll get strawberry, raspberry and some spicy accents. This wine was made with carefully selected grapes, macerated for 9 days and passed through a cold fermentation in stainless steel containers, keeping away the wine from any contact with wood with the intention of showing to the max, the quality that the fruit can reach in Ojos Negros Valley.

Ojos Negros 2005

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production, 6,000 bottles
Aged for 18 months in Barrels, it has an aging potentia of 5-10 years, better if you open it and decanter it, 45 minutes before enjoy it.
This wine is elaborated with carefully hand picked and selected from the first vines planted in Ojos Negros Valley. It´s a wine with medium, high body, intense aromas of fresh fruits, citrics, raspberry, orange and prunes, with a light touch of cinnamon and vanilla. In mouth reflects the 18 months aging in Oak barrels…subtle, but persistent tannins and balanced acidity. A very elegant and fine wine. excellent to enjoy it with cheeses, red meats, poultry or desserts!

Ojos Negros Gran Reserva 2004

Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot.
Production: 3,000 bottles
Aging: 24 months in barrels, 8 months in bottle.
Keeping potential, 5-15 years.
Better to open and decanter it 45 min before enjoying it.
It´s a full bodied, elegant wine, with a dark red brilliant color, with a wide expression in mouth. A wine with character and a long and changing end…
It brings fresh fruity aromas, citric and floral notes like Jazmin, cherry, cassis and orange flower with the spicy touch given by the Oak barrels aging.

Ojos Negros Pinot Noir 2007

100% Pinot Noir
Production, 1,595 bottles
keeping potential of 5-10 years
Better to open and decanter 45 min before enjoying it
A fine, elegant wine, with a dark, brownish color and a wide aromatic expression of strong floral and spicy notes. It´s silky and complex in mouth and has a long, delicate end.

Ojos Negros Syrah 2006
100% Syrah
Production: 4,000 bottles.
Keeping potential 5-10 years
Better if open and decanter 45 min. before enjoying it
A wine with a great personality in mouth, medium/full body, moderate tannins and a surprising harmony between acidity, alcohol and astringency. Clean, bright with an intense cherry color with violet borders.
A complex, round wine with very pleasant mixed flavors of fresh and dry fruits, complemented with delicate notes of butter and caramel, the result of the aging in white Oak barrels. Ojos Negros Syrah 2006 is the reflect of the terroir of the Ojos Negros Valley and the commitment of quality from Bodegas San Rafael.

Honor the name of the valley that nourish and watch this vines grow…Enjoy your wine, looking at someone´s special eyes…

Salud y Viva México!!