Faustino I Gran Reserva Blanco

With over 150 years of history in Rioja Alavesa, Bodegas Faustino is known for large estate holdings and long ageing in both barrel and bottle. Faustino I Gran Reserva Blanco represents the estate's renewed focus on premium whites. Made from viura grapes in 50-year-old-vineyards as well as Chardonnay from one of the first vineyards planted with this variety in Rioja, each variety is fermented separately in new oak barrels for two weeks with natural yeasts from the vineyard, and frequent bâtonnage is carried out. The grapes then ferment in French and American oak.

The estate's limestone‑clay soils help maintain acidity, while older vines provide concentration and phenolic depth. Faustino's iconic style includes oxidative nuances from prolonged barrel maturation – often over 12 months – balanced by freshness retained through careful picking decisions and low‑intervention vinification. Their whites show Rioja's capacity for age‑worthiness, marrying savoury complexity with structural precision.