Winery: Bodegas Remírez de Ganuza

Country / Region: Spain / DOCa Rioja

Date Winery was established: 1989

Grape Variety: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano

Alcohol Content / Volume: 14,5% / 750ml

First Vintage Released: 2005

Ratings: (2009) 97 pts. Proensa / 93 pts. Decanter / Rioja Masters Gold (The Drinks Business)

Good to know: Bodegas Remírez de Ganuza stands as a beacon of modern excellence in the heart of Spain's Rioja Alavesa region. Founded in 1989, the estate is globally celebrated for its meticulous, uncompromising approach to viticulture and its highly innovative winemaking techniques. The producer is perhaps best known in the industry for pioneering the method of meticulously separating grape clusters on the sorting table, using only the ripest, most concentrated top portions—the "shoulders"—for their premium cuvées, while reserving the bottom "tips" for other uses. This obsessive attention to detail, combined with careful manual harvesting from old vines and tailored oak aging, results in profoundly structured, elegant, and long-lived wines that have consistently redefined the modern Rioja style and earned top accolades from critics worldwide.

The Remírez de Ganuza Viña Coqueta 2018 is a stunning reflection of both the estate's pedigree and the unique terroir of its namesake vineyard, which was planted in 1975. The 2018 vintage in Rioja is highly regarded by connoisseurs for its cooler, more classic climate conditions; this allowed the Tempranillo and Graciano grapes to achieve a slow, measured ripening, ultimately yielding a wine characterized by exceptional freshness, vibrant acidity, and elegant aromatic complexity rather than sheer, heavy power. Boasting beautifully refined tannins and deep, nuanced layers of dark fruit and subtle oak spice, this Reserva demands a culinary match that can stand up to its structure. It pairs magnificently with rich, savory dishes such as slow-roasted lamb shoulder, grilled Iberian pork (secreto ibérico), hearty wild mushroom stews, or a curated board of mature, aged sheep's milk cheeses.