Bottler: Remírez de Ganuza, Constitución 1, 01307 Samaniego-Alava / Spain
In the glass
Colour
Luminous, silky purple with a delicate sheen, a slightly lightened rim and shimmering violet reflections.
Nose
Black cherry, blackberry and morello cherry meet vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate and cedar; liquorice, pepper, leather and a hint of rosemary complete the spicy-fruity picture.
Palate
Juicy and dark with grippy acidity, a silky-velvety framework and a clear finish of coffee, vanilla and cedar; powerful, yet without excess.
Character
A classic Rioja in a modern interpretation – structured and profound, yet nonchalant and accessible, making it a fitting and confident introduction to the house’s style.
Pairing
Rack of lamb with rosemary, grilled beef fillet or a spicy Manchego.
Notes
Grapes from 25- to 40-year-old vines on the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria, 24 hours of cold storage after the harvest and 22 months of cask ageing with 30% new French oak – an obsession with detail that dates back to Spain’s first mechanical sorting table.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Luminous, silky purple with a delicate sheen, a slightly lightened rim and shimmering violet reflections.
Nose
Typical Tempranillo, clearly from Rioja – exemplary of the house style poised between modernity and tradition. Dark spice meets palpable lightness: vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate and roasted coffee, alongside tobacco leaf, cedarwood and hints of cigar box. The fruit positively blossoms within this interplay: black cherry, blackberry, morello cherry, plus ripe strawberry and raspberry. Finely underpinned by liquorice, pepper, juniper, leather and a touch of rosemary – a multi-layered, spicy-fruity overall impression.
Palate
Coolness and freshness shape the attack, and the elegance of the high-altitude sites is clearly perceptible. A firm, grippy acid structure provides tension, powerful without excess. Dark fruit, spice and grip rest upon a silky, velvety framework. Despite its depth, the wine remains nonchalant and accessible – self-assured yet unobtrusive.
Finish
The spicy notes return on the finish: coffee, cedarwood, vanilla and coconut echo clearly and at length.
Terroir & origin
The grapes come from the estate’s younger vineyard plantings on the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria – “young” here means vines aged 25 to 40 years. They grow on the calcareous soils of the Rioja Alavesa, which lend the wines their minerality. Remírez de Ganuza cultivates around 80 hectares across 70 vineyard sites in nine municipalities – a mosaic of old vines and microclimatic diversity.
Grape variety & vinification
A blend of 88% Tempranillo, 7% Graciano, 3% Garnacha and 2% Viura. After harvesting, the grapes are chilled for 24 hours, with fermentation taking place in neutral stainless steel and cement tanks. Ageing lasts a full 22 months in cask: 30% new French oak, the remainder second-fill.
Food recommendations
A wine for the dining table: rack of lamb with rosemary jus, grilled duck breast, chorizo stew or Manchego. Also a harmonious choice with mushroom risotto featuring dark spices.
Special features
The accessible entry point into the stylistic world of Remírez de Ganuza – the estate that revolutionised Rioja winemaking in 1989 with Spain’s first mechanical sorting table. Twenty-two months of cask ageing at this price point makes a statement: classic Rioja in a modern interpretation, harmonious from the first minute to the last.
