Cal y Canto is produced from grapes grown on southern section of the central Iberian plateau known commonly as “La Mancha.” The altitude stretches to a half-mile in this hot, arid country where the intense daytime heat is tempered by cool nights. The Romans were the first to recognize this was a great place to grow wine grapes, and vineyards have dominated the landscape here for centuries. Tempranillo in particular produces deliciously quaffable wines with rich fruit, whose character is enhanced by small quantities of Merlot and Syrah. The dry soils are dominated by limestone covered with sedimentary riverbed stones. Cal y Canto is named for this terroir, with Cal referring to limestone, and Canto to the stones. Select grapes are harvested from September into October. Each variety is separately destemmed, crushed, and then fermented with cultured yeasts in stainless steel for ten days at 80°F. The must is pumped over daily to gently extract the rich color and pretty flavors. The best tanks are chosen to make the final blend. The finished wine is matured in stainless steel to retain the wine’s natural fresh and fruity profile.
Cal y Canto (Kal-ee-Kan-To) is produced by Bodegas Isidro Milagro. This winery has been family owned and operated for three generations. It is situated in the small town of Alfaro, in La Rioja. Isidro Milagro focuses on producing fresh and vibrant good-value wines from both traditional Spanish grapes, and international varieties.