Vivanco Rioja Coleccion Parcelas de Graciano 2017

From a rare grape

The Graciano grape is already rare in Rioja, let alone a wine made from 100% Graciano. Due to its susceptibility to diseases and low yields, the grape only plays a supporting role in blends today. However, graciano used to be thriving in Rioja, and wines from this grape can be very interesting.

Hence, the Graciano is an ideal candidate for the Colección Vivanco, the personal project of winemaker Rafael. In this limited series, he focuses on local, historic Rioja grapes, sharing his love for the region and its winemaking traditions.

The grapes for this rare wine are harvested by hand in plots of El Tablar de Zorraquín and in El Cerrado. After a strict selection, the grapes from the different plots ferment separately, in French oak barrels, using wild yeasts. After fermentation, the final blend matures for another 18 months in various wooden barrels. The wine is bottled in the old-fashioned, 18th-century Rioja bottle model, unfiltered and unclarified.

Typical for Graciano is its perfumed nose, with notes of dark fruit and flowers. But apart from being fresh and refined, it is certainly also powerful and complex. It is therefore a nice wine to accompany pronounced dishes, such as venison with chocolate sauce, or foie gras with blackberry compote.