Graciano

Synonyms: graciana, graciano de Haro (Rioja), tintilla de rota (Andalusia), tinto menudo, cagnulari (Italy), morrastel (France) tinta miuda (Portugal).

It is one of the traditional ingredients in the blending of Rioja wines which, being grown in the least suitable areas of La Rioja, is only used in tiny proportions to enhance the fruity aroma of the 'tempanillos' and provide greater acidity. It is a grape of medium budding and late ripening. As soon as winegrowers began to explore its cultivation in warmer areas, they noticed an improvement in the results, which led many Rioja winemakers to produce it as a single variety.

Strong character, bitter, herbaceous, almost wild, acidic and with a good colour. It requires alcohol to be balanced, so production control is essential for it to ripen properly.

Its particularly long cycle and low productivity have always been its handicap, which has prevented it from spreading more firmly in the vineyards of Rioja, Álava and Navarra.In 1995 Viña Ijalba was the first Rioja winery to commercialise a wine made from 100% Graciano, which was aged for one year in the bottle.  Since then, there have been many wineries that have wanted to join in with their commitment to this unique variety, up to 19 wineries between Rioja and Navarra, the place of origin of the graciano.

At Guía Peñín we have baptised it as the sleeping beauty because it is a variety whose beauty remains dormant during the first years of the wine. Its first five years of life it is rustic, sometimes excessively so, and with many edges, especially in acidity. However, time plays in its favour and all its strength gradually mellows down, showing roundness, with a softer tannin, and with a great singularity. It is a variety that takes you out of the dullness due to its marked differences with the more developed grape varieties, which offers us an opportunity to taste something different.