Fincas de Ganuza Rioja Reserva by Remirez de Ganuza 2016

A relatively recent addition to the esteemed producers in Rioja is Remírez de Ganuza. Established in 1989 (with the inaugural vintage in 1992), they have swiftly ascended to become one of the region's most acclaimed wineries. The driving force behind this success is Fernando Remírez de Ganuza, previously the foremost vineyard broker in the area. Armed with an intimate knowledge of prime vineyard locations, he now oversees nearly 60 hectares of vineyards spanning 100 plots in Rioja Alavesa. The majority of these vineyards boast aged vines, with an average age of 60 years and the youngest at 30.

Pioneering several practices in the region, Remírez de Ganuza was the first to introduce small basket harvesting and the separation of shoulders and tips from grape bunches. This meticulous sorting process allows only the finest grapes to be used in their top wines. The shoulders, rich in colour and tannins, are reserved for reserve wines, while the tips, with less colour, are utilized for young wines produced using carbonic maceration.

Innovating further, the winery uses a patented technique for pressing their Transnocho red, the flagship wine. A water bag, introduced at the end of fermentation, replaces the conventional pneumatic press to prevent seed breakage and reduce oxygenation of tannins. New oak barrels are exclusively employed for aging, sourced from eight different coopers, with 80% being French and 20% American. Despite experimenting with 500-liter barrels, the winery found them unsuitable. Maintaining a stave thickness of 20–22 mm, regular topping up is essential due to higher wine loss in new barrels compared to old ones.