Est. 2001. Importer & Distributor of Fine Wine, Craft Spirits, and Ginjo Sake

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Exopto Cellars
Tom Puyaubert
Tom Puyaubert
Country of Origin: Spain
Location: Rioja
People: David Sampedro, Tom Puyaubert & Javier Gomez, Owners | Tom Puyaubert, Winemaker
Supplier: http://www.oleimports.com


David, Tom and Javier became friends through their affinity for Rugby. They later found that they had much more in common, and in 2003, Exopto Cellars was born. The man behind the wine is the very talented and passionate David Sampedro. They currently own 15 acres of vineyards. Their first vintage was 2003.

They are located in the Rioja DO (Zone 3), within the Rioja Alavesa subzone; the winery is located in the town of Laguardia. The vineyards are in the town of Abalos, at an altitude of 2014 ft. Of the 3 districts in Rioja (Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja), the Rioja Alavesa is the coolest and has the highest amounts of precipitation.

Climate: The average temperature between April and October is 61'F with 24.4 inches of rainfall yearly. The moderate warm days and cool nights of this Continential Atlantic climate forces the grapes to ripen slowly, resulting in wines that are fresher, more aromatic and with a greater fruit flavor. Exopto's vineyards are exposed to cooler temperatures and less rain that its neighboring producers within the Rioja Alavesa zone. As a result of these climatic conditions, we encounter: high skin to juice ratios, low yields, which lead to greater flavor concentration and aromatic expression.

Soil: The topsoil is composed of clay and limestone with rocks and sand as its subsoil. The cool temperatures allows for a longer ripening period, while this soil also allows for water retention, preventing drought. The subsoil (sand and rocks) is low in pH and poor in organic material, resulting in grapes that possess greater sensorial acidity and the resulting lower yields produce smaller berries hence greater flavor intensity.

What makes Exopto unique? A genuine terroir-ist, the truly brilliant and innovative winemaker David Sampedro. The combination of soil and climate, freshness, aromatics and fruit concentration. Small production wines. Tempranillo vines are between 50-90 years old and the Graciano vines are 30 to 100 years old contributing to the small yields.

Social Media
Twitter: @ExoptoTom
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Items
Exopto Cellars 2012 'Bozeto' Rioja DOCa Net Price Reviews —
Reviews
Exopto Cellars 2012 'Bozeto' Rioja DOCa
Rating: 88

The 2012 Bozeto de Exopto is a fruit-driven blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo and Graciano, where the Garnacha clearly wins and dominates all aspects of the wine, the clear color, the sweet fruity nose full of Mediterranean herbs and the polished palate. It is of course complemented by the acidity from the Graciano and the body and red fruit from the Tempranillo making a very attractive wine, which is a pleasure to drink. Drink 2014-2016.

- The Wine Advocate (12/30/2013)