Vivanco Crianza Rioja Seleccion de Familia 2016

Located in Briones, La Rioja in northern Spain, the Vivanco winery, museum, and foundation is a triumvirate of wine resources built according to the vision of the Vivanco family to “give back to wine what wine has given us.” Third generation Pedro Vivanco is credited with expanding the family business from wine merchant to winery, earning a degree in enology to become one of Spain’s first certified winemakers . Today, he is joined by his sons, with Rafael serving as winemaker and Santiago overseeing the museum and foundation.

Vivanco is dedicated to producing wines using only native grapes vinified using traditional techniques. Through extensive research and experimentation, Rafael has revived nearly extinct varietals and traditional wines that accurately reflect La Rioja’s history of winemaking.

Vivanco selects only the top 20-30% of the annual harvest exclusively cultivated by hand from their 440 hectares of estate-owned vineyards for their annual bottlings. Their holdings are located throughout Rioja Alta, thus the soils vary from ferrous clay to marl. Their portfolio of iconic wines, each with a distinct personality that reflects the land, is renowned for quality, boasting a “Top 100? accolade from Wine Spectator.

The estate is impressive showcasing both the original building and the modern facility. The new, state-of-the-art winery boasts a naturally temperature-controlled underground cellar that houses 3500 barrels. Atop sits the museum, educational center, tasting room, and restaurant frequented by thousands of visitors throughout the year.