This is the second vintage we work with Gaby. We didn’t get much wine for our first vintage with him so most of you may have never heard of him, but if there’s anyone that knows Rioja, it’s this guy. He’s the personification of Rioja underground. I mean, the name says it all. Not only did he occupy a centennial underground cellar in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but his wines represent the counter culture in a super industrialized region. Lopez de Heredia is his benchmark and he’s making wines the old school way. It’s actually funny how the old school way has today somehow become underground, but that’s the way it is.

His vinification is characterized by long elevage in old french barriques and unlike some of our other producers, Gaby is a fan of SO2 when needed. He adds a minimal dose at bottling to preserve the image he wants us to see. The rest is pretty straight forward…foot trodden fruit, no temperature control, no acidification, no filtration, no clarification, no nothing. Growing up in Rioja, he’s drank a lot of it and knows what he likes and what he doesn’t like so much. He says this is the most important thing to know as a winemaker. We agree and obviously like what he likes.

His first couple vintages, which is what we have, were made with Remelluri fruit. Telmo Rodriquez’s little brother Sancho is his best friend so let’s just say they were cutting him a deal on some of their best fruit. Think Remelluri without the over extraction and new oak…at half the price (or less). Sounds pretty good right? Since then he’s acquired his own vineyards in Rioja Alavesa and has legalized his winery situation. If it wasn’t for the hardcore pachangueo he played at our wedding, we’d think he wasn’t so subterráneo anymore.

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