Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Fresh goat cheese, grilled seafood platters, and light pasta dishes with herb-based sauces.
✨ Technical Specifications
Marques de Riscal, historically celebrated for pioneering modern Rioja, played an equally revolutionary role in Spain's white wine renaissance. In the early 1970s, guided by the legendary French enologist Emile Peynaud, the estate ventured into the high-altitude, gravel-rich soils of Castilla y Leon. Recognizing the terroir's immense potential, they introduced Sauvignon Blanc clones from the Loire Valley to the region. This wine is a brilliant expression of that pioneering spirit, crafted entirely from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The vines thrive under a harsh continental climate characterized by hot summer days and cool nights, which helps preserve the grape's vibrant natural acidity. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to maintain its aromatic purity, the wine showcases intense aromas of fresh-cut grass, citrus, and tropical fruits, underpinned by a distinctive mineral backbone that pays homage to its stony soils.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1858 by Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal pioneered modern viticulture in Spain by importing Bordeaux vinification techniques and oak barrel maturation to Rioja Alavesa. Situated in Elciego, the estate capitalizes on high-altitude vineyards framed by the Sierra de Cantabria, planted on chalky clay-limestone soils under a moderating Atlantic-continental microclimate. In the 1970s, Riscal drove the revival of Rueda, introducing Sauvignon Blanc and rejuvenating indigenous Verdejo. Across both denominaciones, the producer champions sustainable, regenerative viticulture, with all estate vineyards in Rueda certified organic and Rioja holdings transitioning swiftly. Winemaking balances classical European elegance with precision: the Reserva and Gran Reserva bottlings deliver supple Tempranillo infused with Graciano and refined via American oak, while the cuvée Barón de Chirel embodies concentrated, old-vine terroir mastery. Crowned by Frank Gehry's architectural masterpiece, Marqués de Riscal remains a global benchmark uniting 19th-century cellar heritage with contemporary oenology.
🍇 Grapes
Verdejo (min 85%), Sauvignon Blanc