Bodegas Ontañón is a 5th generation family-owned and run winery in Rioja Baja (now Rioja Oriental). Here Raquel, Rubén and Maria Pérez Cuevas continue their father Gabriel's work to develop Bodegas Ontañón into one of the most highly-regarded wineries in Rioja. Ontañón has vast swathes of vineyard in this part of Rioja. Whilst wine production in the region is typically very dependent on contracts with grape growers, the Pérez Cuevas family has seen fit to invest heavily in the purchase of its own land and vines. Its 250ha is a testament to the importance it places on controlling grape quality.

The family's vineyards sit high in the Sierra Yerga mountains in the prestigious region surrounding Quel, defying misconceptions that Rioja Baja is one of the lesser sub-regions within Rioja. Many of their vineyards are actually planted at altitudes on a par with, or above, those in Rioja Alta and Alavesa; (La Pasada is their highest vineyard at 800m above sea level, planted in 1979 it is used for Reserva and Gran Reserva wines). The hot and dry Mediterranean climate allows for consistent ripening of the grapes with little disease and this has enabled them to pursue organic production across 57 hectares of vines.

Vineyard and Winery

The first steps in the production of this wine begin in the vineyard, with a very early harvest to preserve the freshness of the berries and protect as much as possible all the aromatic values ​​of the Viura, the Garnacha Blanca and the Maturana Blanca. It is at the beginning of the day when the winegrowers join forces with the dawn to carry out the early harvest that protects the grapes from the last heat of summer.

For Ontañón Kaori, where each variety is made separately , we only select the wine obtained from the first pressing. This is followed by a natural static settling for two days and gentle fermentation with its lees at 14 degrees for around 19 days in stainless steel tanks.

Once fermentation is complete, it is left to rest for three or four days so that the coarsest lees are naturally removed by decanting. It is then transferred to first and second use American oak barrels for three months with only the finest lees. After this time, it is transferred to barrels where it remains for four months before being bottled.