Finca Martelo Reserva
⏳ Drinking Window
2026 - 2040
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Traditional milk-fed roasted lamb, grilled prime ribeye steak, and aged cheeses paired with cured jamón Ibérico.
✨ Technical Specifications
Finca Martelo Reserva represents a brilliant modern chapter in the storied history of La Rioja Alta, S.A., crafted at their Torre de Oña estate in the prestigious Rioja Alavesa sub-region. Nestled at the foot of the protective Sierra de Cantabria mountains, the Finca Martelo vineyard benefits from a unique microclimate where Atlantic influences meet clay-limestone soils. This wine is a thoughtful expression of terroir, typically dominated by Tempranillo (around 95%) complemented by co-planted traditional varieties like Mazuelo, Garnacha, and even a touch of white Viura. Fermented with care and aged for approximately two years in a selection of American and French oak barrels, Finca Martelo strikes a masterful balance between the vibrant, dark fruit intensity of Rioja Alavesa and the refined, spicy elegance that defines the historic house style of La Rioja Alta.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1890 in Haro's iconic Barrio de la Estación by five Basque and Riojan families, La Rioja Alta S.A. stands as an archetype of classical Spanish viticulture. Operating extensive estate holdings across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa—complemented by satellites Torre de Oña in Páganos, Áster in Ribera del Duero, and Lagar de Cervera in Rías Baixas—the estate relies upon calcareous-clay and alluvial soils tempered by Atlantic and continental microclimates. The viticultural approach prioritizes meticulous canopy management, estate-grown fruit, and low-impact sustainable husbandry. In the cellar, the bodega is renowned for its in-house cooperage of seasoned American oak, manual barrel racking by candlelight every six months, and remarkably patient oxidative maturation. The resulting wines—exemplified by Viña Ardanza, Viña Arana, and the majestic Gran Reserva 890 and 904—display exceptional longevity, savory complexity, fine-grained tannins, and vibrant Atlantic freshness.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo