Finca Museum are based in Cigales, a small Castilla y León DO east of Valladolid. As the name suggests, the winery is also a museum, boasting sculptures and paintings dating back to the 17th century. Although Cigales was once famed for its dry rosados (or ‘Clarete’), a result of co-fermenting field blends of red and white varieties, it is the Tinta del País, a thicker-skinned Tempranillo, that excels today.
The extreme continental climate of Cigales (with temperatures ranging from 40°C in the summer to -10°C in the winter) and its soils, poor in organic matter, result in low yields of intensely concentrated fruit. The soils are so poor that other crops, such as cereal, cannot grow. It is primarily for this reason that the vines, many now over 50 years old, have survived in Cigales. These low-yielding, high-elevation bush vines, planted up to 800 metres above sea level, produce very thick-skinned grapes, resulting in wines of intense colour and flavour.
Finca Museum owns close to 200 hectares of vineyards, with a further 100 hectares of old bush vines (over 50 years old) bought from growers on long-term contracts. All their vineyards are hand-harvested, with great care taken in selecting the grapes before crushing. In 2023, Finca Museum was certified by Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection (SWfCP), the first and only certification specifically designed for the wine sector regarding environmental sustainability.
Made in the traditional, dry rosado style, with estate-grown fruit from several vineyards across Cigales, the Finca Museum Rosé blends organic Tempranillo, Verdejo and Garnacha. The yields for these grapes are exceptionally low, due to a combination of vine age and pebbly soils, resulting in deep flavour intensity. The high-elevation location also results in freshness, which complements the fragrant fruit profile.
The ‘Vinea’ Crianza is aged for 15 months in American (60%) and French oak (40%) barrels, resulting in expressive fruit-driven aromas with supporting layers of vanilla and mocha. The ‘Museum’ Reserva spends 12 months ageing in new French oak, plus a further 12 months in bottle. Very deep in colour, the wine is rich and complex with flavours of blackcurrant, liquorice, and roasted hazelnuts.
The ‘La Renacida’ is a field blend sourced from a three-hectare vineyard, in the Sallana area of Cigales in 1927. Plantings include Tempranillo, Garnacha, Garnacha Tintorera, Garnacha Gris, Bobal and Mencía, alongside Albillo Mayor, Verdejo and Garnacha Blanca. Finca Museum acquired this abandoned plot in 2015 and have worked hard to bring the vineyard back to life, renaming it ‘La Renacida’, meaning ‘reborn’. The vineyard is managed sustainably, with the red and white grape varieties co-fermented before ageing in French oak foudres for 12 months.
Vineyards
The grapes for this wine are sourced from several vineyards across the Finca Museum estate in the D.O of Cigales. The vineyards are planted atop a layer of pebbles that gather heat during the hot summer days through to the beginning of autumn, and release it at night, helping the phenols and flavours in the grape to ripen perfectly. These conditions, combined with the age of the vines, which are over 51 years old for the most part, mean that very low yields are produced, giving great quality and concentration of flavour in turn. The grapes also benefit from being planted at altitudes of around 800 metres above the sea level, bringing freshness to the finished wine. All the plots are worked manually, using organic fertilisers such as sheep manure. The vines are goblet trained.
Vintage
The 2025 vintage in Rioja will be remembered as a challenging one, starting in spring with hailstorms resulting in significant damage across the region. A late summer heatwave accelerated ripening and reduced yields in some areas, but the cooler nights allowed the grapes to ripen evenly and maintain their natural acidity. Despite the challenges of this year, the resulting harvest was of great quality.
Vinification
The grapes were harvested by hand during the cool hours of the day to allow for attentive selection in the vineyard. They were then carefully carried in small boxes to the winery so they could be processed on the sorting table allowing for further selection. After processing, they were directly pressed. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures and was followed by roughly three months of lees ageing to add texture. The wine was then fined and bottled.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
In the glass, the wine is pale pink in colour. Floral aromas are accompanied by hints of stone fruit, peach, and green apple on the nose. On the palate, the wine shows beautifully balanced acidity, with the floral and fruity notes lingering on the finish.
