Enjoy the impeccable balance and complexity of Ontañón Rioja Natura. This bold yet smooth red has intense aromas of bramble, fig, and plum fruit, complemented by herbal, spicy, coffee, and balsamic notes. On the palate, you'll experience ripe blueberry and blackcurrant flavours, plus a savoury, meaty character, soft tannins, and a bright mineral finish.

About the Producer

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 Tempranillo grapes are sourced from the Los Palos de Tanis, La Pasada and Viña María vineyards belonging to the Ontañón Family in the Sierra de Yerga, Rioja Oriental. Planting began here at the start of the 1990s, in very stony, loam-textured soils - at an average altitude of 680-800 metres. Sulphites aren't used for the production of this wine, in either the vineyard, or during the winemaking process, so the grapes are treated very carefully. They're picked by hand and transported to the winery in small crates. Here they undergo a rigorous selection process, and after destemming, are put into the press with dry ice. Fermentation takes place over seven days, with pigeage, to achieve a very high level of colour and aroma extraction. Only the free-run must is used, and malolactic fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in barrels for two weeks. Natural fining agents and filtration are employed before the wine is transferred to American oak casks, where it is aged for fifteen months before bottling.