Tentenublo · Lamb

The story of Roberto Oliván’s estate is closely interwoven with the wind-swept high-altitude vineyards of Rioja Alavesa, where the crystal-clear mountain air caresses centuries-old vines. Here, in the small village of Viñaspre, a district of Lanciego, the dynamic winemaker has realised his life’s dream – a project aimed at capturing the purest expression of this privileged wine-growing region.

Terroir as destiny

The thirty carefully selected plots stretch across the region’s highest plateaus, where the poor soils of calcareous marl and sandstone lend the wines their unmistakable character. The altitude of 620 metres, combined with the constant wind that keeps the vines naturally healthy, creates ideal conditions for a precise, mineral-driven style of wine. The old vines, some up to one hundred years of age, root deeply into this barren terrain and yield grapes of exceptional concentration and complexity.

Winemaking philosophy

Oliván’s approach is shaped by deep conviction: organic farming, partly according to biodynamic principles, minimal intervention and absolute respect for the natural cycle. Work in the vineyard follows the rhythms of nature, supported by meticulous manual labour and a profound understanding of each individual vineyard site. Every plot is vinified separately to preserve its unique characteristics. Spontaneous fermentation takes place exclusively with indigenous yeasts in open stainless steel tanks, followed by gentle extraction through traditional punch-downs of the cap.

The wines in detail

The heart of the collection is the Tentenublo Tinto, a masterful blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. The wine captivates with its deep cherry colour and a complex bouquet of dried herbs, smoky notes and black fruits. On the palate, a powerful yet elegant interplay of ripe fruit and spicy nuances unfolds, carried by fine-grained tannins.

The rare Tentenublo Blanco, a fascinating interpretation of the white Rioja tradition, unites Malvasia with Viura and other indigenous varieties to create a multi-layered, mineral white wine of remarkable precision.
The Escondite del Ardacho series represents the quintessence of Oliván’s philosophy: single-vineyard wines that translate the region’s various micro-terroirs with extraordinary attention to detail. San José impresses with its ruby-red colour and complex red fruit aromatics, while El Abundillano, with its unique cuvée of Garnacha, Malvasia and Tempranillo, exemplarily demonstrates the diversity of the region.

Future prospects

In an astonishingly short time, Roberto Oliván has secured his place among the most innovative winemakers in Rioja. His wines, which regularly achieve scores between 90 and 95 points, have found a loyal international following. Despite growing demand, production remains deliberately limited – the Tentenublo Tinto, for example, is restricted to around 13,600 bottles.
The future of the estate lies in further refining its terroir-driven approach. Oliván constantly experiments with different ageing methods, always with the aim of capturing the authenticity of his vineyard sites even more precisely. New plantings follow the traditional model, using the elevated gobelet system with wide spacing, which optimises air circulation and facilitates manual work.
In a region increasingly positioning itself between modernity and tradition, Oliván charts an independent course: his wines are neither traditionalist nor modernist, but rather timeless interpretations of an exceptional terroir. They tell the story of a landscape, its people and its centuries-old wine-growing culture – reinterpreted through the vision of one of its most talented protagonists.