Remelluri's vineyards share their history with the ancient Basque people, as Hieronymite monks began to farm grapes here in the 1300's. Today, the operation is owned and run by Telmo and Amaia Rodríguez, the son and daughter of Jaime Rodríguez Salís who founded the modern Remelluri in 1967. The winemaking is overseen by Telmo and Pablo Eguzkiza (who trained at Chateau Petrus). Remelluri received organic certification in 2014, although synthetic chemicals have never been used on the property throughout its long history.

Planted along the natural slopes of the Sierra de Toloño mountains, just above the village of Labastida in Rioja Alavesa, the vineyards are the highest elevation in the Rioja region with vines sitting between 500 and 950 meters, south-facing, and protected from the prevailing northern winds and frost. The estate consists of more than 80 individual plots, all of which are vinified separately. One of the keys to the location’s significance is that the vines are planted in terraced amphitheaters following the contours of the mountainside, which shelters them from the harsh weather on the leeward side. 

The grapes at Remelluri are almost always the last to be harvested in Rioja; it is common for the vintage to last well into October or November. Poor, stony soils, with layers of calcareous clay, give considerable structure for aging. At the same time, the Atlantic influence provides abundant rainfall and much lower temperatures than in the rest of the region, lending incredible acidity and freshness. The fluctuation of cool nights and warm days offers the ideal conditions for proper, long phenolic ripening of the grapes, resulting in Remelluri’s hallmark complex and nuanced aromatics. 

The high-altitude wines from these Atlantic-influenced vineyards have more in common with the great Nebbiolo-based mountain wines of Italy than the fruity Garnacha reds of the Mediterranean-influenced Rioja. They are naturally built to age gracefully for decades. The wine is unfiltered but sees a light fining with gelatin. The aging regimen of the wine far exceeds the requirements for Rioja Reserva, as it's aged 21 months in foudres and barrels of various sizes, followed by five years in bottle before release. 

Pairing: Barbacoa, Chorizo, the biggest bestest steak you can find

Grape: 83% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 7% Graciano 

Soil: Chalky clay over limestone bedrock, with some sandstone marl

Viticulture: Certified Organic by ENEEK Basque Organic Regulatory Council, Practicing Biodynamic, Regenerative Farming