Bodegas Ondarre Varietal de Ondarre Graciano 2023

Winemaking

Bodegas Ondarre has built a reputation for showcasing native Spanish varietals with a modern sensibility, respecting the traditional winemaking heritage of Rioja while allowing the fruit to speak clearly. Their approach favors balance and elegance over extraction, letting the distinctive character of Graciano emerge without heavy-handed oak or overripeness.

Tasting Notes

This Graciano opens with a fragrant bouquet of red cherry and plum, layered with white pepper and subtle spice notes that hint at careful oak aging without dominating the wine. On the palate, the wine displays bright acidity and a medium body with silky tannins, delivering flavors of cherry and plum that flow seamlessly across the mouth with a mineral undertone. The finish is clean and linear, with a pleasant pepperiness that lingers and invites another sip.

Producer

Bodegas Ondarre is a well-established producer in the Rioja Alavesa subregion, known for its commitment to quality and its focus on native Spanish varieties like Graciano. The bodega combines traditional winemaking methods with modern sensibilities, maintaining sustainable vineyard practices across their holdings in this prestigious region.

Terroir

Rioja Alavesa, in the northern Spanish region of Basque Country, benefits from a continental climate tempered by Atlantic influences, creating ideal conditions for aromatic red wines. The vineyards sit on a mix of clay, limestone, and iron-rich soils that impart mineral character and help develop the elegant, age-worthy structure that Rioja is celebrated for.

Food Pairings

Pair this Graciano with roasted lamb shoulder seasoned with rosemary and garlic, where the wine's pepper notes and bright acidity complement the meat's richness beautifully. It's equally at home with a casual tapas spread of jamón ibérico and aged manchego, or with pan-seared duck breast finished with a cherry gastrique that echoes the wine's red fruit core.