Rio Madre Rioja Graciano 2017

A rare Rioja made from 100% Graciano, Rio Madre is made from grapes planted to chalky alluvial soils in 1997. The winery is located in Alfaro, in the heart of Rioja Baja where the climate is continental benefiting from extreme temperature swings between day and night and limited precipitation.

At harvest, the grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in stainless steel by indigenous yeast. The wine is transferred to first through third use barrels for malolactic fermentation. Ageing 6 months in first through third use French oak Bordeaux and Burgundy barrels sur lie with battonage.

Rio Madre is the result of the efforts of Jorge Ordóñez and Bodegas Ilurce to produce a 100% Graciano wine from D.O.C. Rioja. Mostly known for its role in adding complexity to the wines of Rioja Alta and Alavesa, Graciano is a varietal that thrives in Rioja Baja due to the hotter climate. Graciano is a late ripening variety with a particularly long vegetative cycle, so it cannot ripen fully in Rioja Alta and Alavesa. As a result, although most northern Rioja wineries claim their blends include Graciano from their vineyards, most of them source their Graciano from Rioja Baja. Ordóñez discovered the quality of vineyards and Graciano in Rioja Baja, and partnered with Bodegas Ilurce to produce a 100% Graciano wine, which are very rare.