I Gran Reserva
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 10–25 years from release
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roast suckling lamb, slow-braised venison with juniper, aged Manchego cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced primarily from high-altitude vineyards in Rioja Alavesa, this iconic Gran Reserva is shaped by chalky clay-limestone soils and the cooling Atlantic climatic currents descending from the Sierra de Cantabria. The blend centers on Tempranillo complemented by Graciano and Mazuelo to supply balancing acidity and color stability. Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats with temperature-controlled fermentation and extended maceration, followed by an extensive maturation cycle of at least 24 to 26 months in mixed French and American oak casks before long-term cellar aging in the bottle prior to release.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1861 by Eleuterio Martínez Arzok, Bodegas Faustino stands as one of the preeminent historic estates of Rioja Alavesa, now guided by the fourth generation of the Martínez Zabala family. Headquartered in Oyón, the estate controls roughly 650 hectares of prime vineyards distributed across Oyón, Laguardia, and Mendavia. These sites benefit from a confluence of Atlantic and Mediterranean influences, where vines flourish in poor, chalky clay-limestone soils ideally suited to low-yielding Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo, and Viura. Viticulture balances precision canopy management with certified sustainable methods under the Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection framework. In the cellar, led by enologist Juan José Díez González, Faustino exemplifies benchmark classic Rioja, defined by decades-long barrel and bottle maturation using both American and French oak. Renowned internationally for its iconic frosted bottle bearing Rembrandt’s portrait of Nicolaes van Bambeeck, the flagship Faustino I Gran Reserva is complemented by classical Reservas and traditional-method Cavas, capturing timeless tertiary complexity, bright acidity, and refined structure.
🍇 Grape Varieties
85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5%