Remelluri became the first single-estate/monopole Rioja of the modern era with its release of the 1971 vintage. Remelluri is produced by the brother and sister team of Telmo Rodríguez (winemaker) and Amaia Rodríguez Hernandorena (viticulturist), with Telmo’s winemaking partner, the prolific Pablo Eguzkiza (trained at Château Petrus). 

Remelluri is one of the most timeless and iconic landscapes of the wine world, as well as one of the most enchanting vineyards in Spain. While firmly anchored in its historical past, Remelluri illuminates the path forward for not only the future of Rioja but also world-class, terroir-based fine wines produced in Spain.

Remelluri’s vineyards are located contiguously along the slopes of the Sierra de Toloño mountains, part of the Sierra de Cantabria chain, in the valleys of Valderemelluri, La Granja, and Villaescusa, just above the village of Labastida in Rioja Alavesa. The organically-farmed vineyards here are at the highest elevation in the Rioja region, with vines planted between 590m and 850m, south-facing, and protected from the prevailing northern winds and frost. The Remelluri landscape is an integrated system of agriculture with great respect for the environment, which includes regenerative and agroforestry elements employed to achieve biodiversity and harmony between the vineyard, mountainside, and human elements. 

The estate consists of over a hundred 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. Remelluri is pure mountain Rioja.

Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Gran Reserva is made in small quantities from the oldest, most important vineyards at the estate and represents the essence of the property. Granja is a high-altitude Rioja sourced from a selection of the vineyards that surround the winery and above into the mountain, with a higher proportion of old garnacha vines planted from 680 to 780m. Granja Remelluri delivers on the incredible, historic expectations while setting a new standard for ultra-elegant, terroir-driven Rioja from a single estate. It is built to improve in the cellar for many decades to come. 

Only indigenous varieties are used, planted from 1918, averaging over 70 years old. The blend consists primarily of goblet-trained tempranillo, garnacha, and graciano varieties with an average yield of 27hl/ha. Only grapes from the estate are used for Granja Remelluri. Certified organic farming (certified by ENEEK, the Basque Agricultural Regulatory Council) and made with low intervention, unfiltered, and minimal sulfur at bottling.

Vintage – 2014 was a highwire act, with challenging weather providing the conditions to produce an exceptional and complex wine. Rainfall was a defining characteristic of the vintage. A very long and humid winter followed by a mild and relatively dry spring resulted in a good bud breakthanks to the winter water reserve. A good vegetative cycle and a warm and dry summer signaled an easy year; however, September was something different. Abundant rainfall coupled with high temperatures and many foggy mornings provided the perfect environment forbotrytis, resulting in a minor loss of fruit and further reduced yields. These damages were minor at Remelluri due to the altitude and aeration of the vines and intensive work in the vineyards of shoot-thinning and leaf removal. 2014 was a year where expertise in the Remelluri vineyard resulted in an exceptionally well-balanced, harmonious, and cinematic wine with incredible aging potential. Grapes were hand-harvested from October 12 through October 24.

Vinification – Bunches were hand-selected daily vine-by-vine between October 12 through October 24, placed in small boxes, and taken directly to the winery. Whole clusters were destemmed and crushed and the must was spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in old, open-top foudres. It was then aged for 30 months in various French oak barrels: one to five-year-old barrels (225L, 400L, and 500L) and foudres ranging from 1200L to 2000L. The 2014 vintage was bottled without fining or filtration on May 25, 2017 and aged in the Remelluri cellar until August 2022.

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