2017 Ripa Rosado, José Luis Ripa Sáenz de Navarrete, Rioja, Spain

José Luis Ripa Sáenz de Navarrete

José Luis Ripa Sáenz de Navarrete is a producer with an intimate understanding of Rioja's winemaking history. Having spent numerous years working with esteemed and renowned houses in Rioja, he has garnered extensive knowledge about the intricacies of the winemaking process and the region's unique terroir.

Being married to Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, a prominent figure in the wine industry and the owner of the renowned López de Heredia Viña Tondonia winery, influenced and deepened his passion for winemaking even further.

Having witnessed the diverse aspects of the wine business, José embarked on his winemaking journey by creating his own label. His venture culminated in producing a classic Spanish Aged Rosado, a rosé wine sourced from vineyards occupying one hectare in the picturesque Najerilla Valley in Rioja Alta. This location is known for its favourable climate and soil conditions, contributing to the exceptional quality of the grapes grown there.

His decision to release his wine with a bit of bottle age sets his wine apart. This approach adds a unique dimension to the wine, allowing it to develop additional complexity and depth before it reaches consumers' hands. By drawing on his profound understanding of Rioja's winemaking heritage and employing a hands-on approach to crafting his wine, José Luis Ripa Sáenz de Navarrete creates wines that reflect his passion, expertise, and respect for the region's winemaking traditions.

Grenache/Garnacha

Grenache (Noir) is widely grown and comes in a variety of styles. Believed to originate in Spain, it was, in the late 20^th century, the most widely planted black grape variety in the world. Today it hovers around seventh in the pecking order. It tends to produce very fruity, rich wines that can range quite widely in their level of tannin.

In many regions – most famously the Southern Rhône, where it complements Syrah and Mourvèdre, among other grapes – it adds backbone and colour to blends, but some of the most notable Châteauneuf du Pape producers (such as Château Rayas) make 100 percent Grenache wines. The grape is a component in many wines of the Languedoc (where you’ll also find its lighter-coloured forms, Grenache Gris and Blanc) and is responsible for much southern French rosé – taking the lead in most Provence styles.

Found all over Spain as Garnacha Tinta (spelt Garnaxa in Catalonia), the grape variety is increasingly detailed on wine labels there. Along with Tempranillo, it forms the majority of the blend for Rioja’s reds and has been adopted widely in Navarra, where it produces lighter styles of red and rosado (rosé). It can also be found operating under a pseudonym, Cannonau, in Sardinia.